


Wounded Pride

by shinealightrose



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: ABO, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Drabble Series, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Related Stories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-04-26 14:49:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 36,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5008858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinealightrose/pseuds/shinealightrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set of related omegaverse drabbles/short fics, with 6 different pairs. These tales will be vaguely chronological, but separate and pair-specific, with some overlapping of characters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. [1:1] Kaibaek

**Author's Note:**

> Warning! May be non-generic or unique ABO distinctions/dynamics so consider yourself warned. Also, this will not contain any smut, although descriptions or dialogue about sex, heat, mpreg, and knotting will be littered throughout. Also, please note the title (and theme of the title) /coughs. Fics may be humor, fluff or angst based, but nothing terribly extreme.

Baekhyun doesn't respond to the sound of his bedroom door opening. In fact, he doesn't care who it may be or what they want because he is done with life. Or at least he's done with any kind of life that takes place outside of his bed for the near future. And truth be told, that kind of pisses him off because just a week ago he was looking forward to spending several days in bed, nothing to do but lie around enjoy the privilege of being asked by Jongin to fuck him through his heat. Omegas only get it twice a year and the last time it happened Jongin had been with someone else. He and Baekhyun hadn't been all that close back then. In fact, he wasn't sure they'd been all that close this time either in spite of Baekhyun's insidious flirting techniques. But then, it happened. Just like magic. Just like a miracle when the shy little omega approached him privately in the laundry room dungeon of their dorm building and asked oh so sweetly, “Would you... would you mind... being with me next week... Please?”

What else was Baekhyun supposed to do? A senior's job is to help out his juniors. An alpha's job is to oblige a nicely asking omega. Baekhyun had laid a hand gently across Jongin's shoulder, smiled up at him and said with no ounce of cheesiness whatsoever, “Jongin. Of course I can. You just tell me when, and I'll be there.” He also didn't wink, or he didn't think he did, or maybe it was just Jongin with the bad memory. 

Cheesiness aside though, he discretely didn't mention it to any of his friends in case the omega chickened out. It happened all the time, and it was honestly nothing to laugh at. The kind of desperation that drove an omega to ask for help was taken quite seriously in these parts. The mutually made pacts were a sacred bond, punishable by stringent measures around campus if an alpha or beta or whoever was with an omega during their heats actually talked about or slandered the omega they were with. Before or afterwards. 

Truly though, Baekhyun was overjoyed. He'd been crushing on that cute little Jongin for over a year and the fact that he'd been chosen! Him, Baekhyun! Over all the other alphas in the school and even among their own circles. Baekhyun could name at least three other completely worthy alphas that Jongin might have asked: Joonmyun, protector of the little guys and a total softie; Yixing, the sweetheart who could actually turn scary if messed with; Luhan, the Insatiable... Or well, Luhan was already having some difficulties with his off-and-on omega Minseok, so perhaps it was no wonder Jongin hadn't asked him. Baekhyun though... 

He'd walked around preening for a week, all in secret too. He thought he deserved some credit for that. And when the day came for Jongin's heat, he clocked  _alpha-ing_  into the school computer so he wouldn't be counted absent from class and happily showed up at Jongin's door.

It's not Jongin right now though. It's Kyungsoo, the little beta bastard. 

“Ughgghgh, what are you doing here for?” Baekhyun whines, throwing his hands over his eyes. Unfortunately, it doesn't block out the vision completely of Kyungsoo's smirk, so Baekhyun draws up the comforter instead burying his body. He groans again though from moving a little too viciously.

“Ohh, just checking in on our valiant alpha. How are you today Baekhyun? Still alive? Need anything? Can I get you a drink, medicine, another blanket, another body perhaps?”

“Shut up and go away.”

But Kyungsoo does not. His mid-level genes are too strong to be cowed by an alpha like Baekhyun, and that frankly sucks ass. 

He sits on the bed instead; the mattress shifts and Baekhyun cries out in pain. 

“The fuck are you doing!? I said go away! Don't touch me and don't rock my bed and- AHHHhhhh!!!! Fuck you, Soo, that hurts!!!!!”

Baekhyun wheezes violently from underneath his comforter and when he finally gets his breath back to normal, all he hears is his  ~~friend's~~  enemy's laughter. 

“Quit laughing at me,” he pouts. 

“No,” Kyungsoo says in between more laughs. 

“Pretty please?”

“Nope.”

Baekhyun snorts and tosses the blanket off his head. “Fine! What do you want? Tell me what I can do or say to make you quit laughing at me and spreading the story to all corners of this campus - because yes, I know that's what you've been doing! Come on and talk already!”

Because omega rights are protected the world around, but there's no law preventing the embarrassment of alphas who get so excited during their partner's heat that they freakin pull a muscle and can't even walk by the time the whole thing is done!

Kyungsoo still can't even talk, he's too busy clutching his side and his face is bright red. On some people it might look unattractive but no, not on the face of their year's hottest beta. It just makes him look cuter, and no Baekhyun definitely doesn't think Kyungsoo is cute. Jongin is his type of cute, not two-faced little weasels like Kyungsoo. 

“Come on, tell me tell me so you can hurry up and go away.”

Baekhyun tries to shift under the blanket but between his bum thigh muscles (the ones he pulled in his... exertion to please) and Kyungsoo's butt holding down the fort, he can't move and it hurts anyway. He settles for blowing his bangs hotly from where they're covering up one eye and he waits. Finally, Kyungsoo finds his voice again.

“Okay, okay. Look I'm not here to embarrass you, I just... well, I was curious if you could uhhh... talk to somebody for me?”

“Talk to who?” Baekhyun drones, already bored and annoyed.

“Uhmm, how about Jongdae?”

“Jongdae?! Why do I need to talk to Jongdae on your behalf? Can't you seduce him on your own? Soo, you know I can't even walk right now, what do you expect me to do exactly? Yell down the hall or bang on the wall and tell him, 'Kyungsoo wants you! Holler!'“ 

At the mention of not being able to walk, Kyungsoo of course loses it again and starts laughing. He stops at a glare from Baekhyun, one of the few occasions that's actually worked. 

“Hey, you don't need to persuade him necessarily. It's just that he's currently all hung up on  _only alphas can satisfy blah blah blah_.”

“Yeah? So what?”

“So, just tell him alphas aren't technically any better than a good beta, and offer yourself as an example.” 

Kyungsoo dares to smile at him, the little shit, and Baekhyun is reminded of every reason he hates this guy. Hates hates hates him to depths of his soul and back again. Baekhyun narrows his eyes, resisting the urge to pounce and attack because no good will come from that. Best scenario is Baekhyun lands on the floor and pulls another muscle and an even better scenario is if he dies from his injuries and never has to see Kyungsoo again. Actually, that isn't even a bad idea because what's the point of living now anyways? Baekhyun's been halfway in love with Jongin forever, and he hopes he imparted at least some good memories with the omega during his heat, because there's no way in hell Jongin is going to ask him again. Not when Baekhyun practically crawled away from Jongin's room to the point where another omega and a beta had to carry him back to his own dorm. Yeah, he screwed up his chances with Jongin real good. 

And it had been such a fantastic three days leading up to that horrible, last, final release.

“Hey, you. Don't pass out on me now.” Kyungsoo is poking him in the forehead, skin lines clenched tightly as Baekhyun relives the shame. 

“Fuck you!”

“No, thanks,” Kyungsoo quips. 

Baekhyun immediately unclenches his eyes and glares at him again. “I didn't- oh forget it. Just get out! I'll talk to Jongdae for you. In fact, I may even get a better alpha than me to talk to him, now will that suffice? Are we done? Can you leave me alone now?!” 

“Hey, I just came in to see what you wanted for dinner? Tao and Sehun are going to pick up pizza. Want a couple slices?”

Baekhyun comes to a happy little place inside of his head where the world is beautiful and only pizza and Jongin exists. It's better than reality at least. “There's a five on my desk. Don't come back unless you're bringing me food,” he huffs loudly. Kyungsoo bounces off the bed in a heartbeat - Baekhyun screeches because of course that tugs his body every which way, and that shit hurts like a son of a bitch. 

At least he can sleep happily after Kyungsoo leaves him alone, the promise of pizza to live for, if nothing else. The nurse who visited earlier said he needs to rest his leg for another day or so and then very gently start to move around and get himself active. Until then, it's just Baekhyun and his wounded alpha pride and three days worth of memories of Jongin spread out before him in every possible position. It's just so unfair that he'll never get to do that again. 

Baekhyun had it all planned out. Flirting for a year yielded to Jongin's proposal; Baekhyun was going to take such good care of him that Jongin would love him forever, and soon as it was over he was going to ask him out properly and they would date forever and fall madly in love (to be honest, Baekhyun is already at this stage) and one day they'd get married officially and the world would be theirs for the taking, together!

Sometimes Baekhyun dreams too hard, but who can blame him. It was all going so well too for a short while; now all Baekhyun has is the smell of pizza wafting through his door. He lets out a happy little sigh, sniffing his nose dramatically because this is the loveliest pizza scent he's ever sniffed before. It's almost worth waking up for.

“Just l-leave it on the bed, Kyungsoo and I'll eat it by myself...” he yawns under the covers. All of a sudden though, he stops. How come Kyungsoo isn't laughing at him yet? Something is weird.

“It's uhm... not Kyungsoo. It's me?” says a soft, hesitant voice. 

Baekhyun throws down the comforter, flushing wildly when he sees the omega standing before his bed awkwardly holding a box of pizza, and no one else in the room but the two of them.

“Jongin?” says Baekhyun, like he can't quite believe his eyes. 

“Hi.” 

Baekhyun hasn't even seen him in two days, he's been so busy doing nothing, laid up on his bed. And he's definitely, oh definitely not ready for a confrontation right now. Not when he can barely move.

“Jongin,” he says again.

“Hi...” says Jongin back, again. 

“I thought Kyungsoo was bringing me pizza,” Baekhyun utters cowardly.

Jongin looks almost hurt. “No... Kyungsoo gave me the box to bring to you... for us... I-I can go back and find him if you'd rather eat with him, I'm sorry!”

“No!” Baekhyun flails wildly, instantly convulsing because he moved his leg. Jongin practically drops the box onto the desk beside his bed and rushes to his side. 

“Are you okay!? What can I do?” Jongin worries all over him.

“Nothing! I mean, I'm fine. I mean... just give me a second to... ahhhhh.” Baekhyun tries to sit up, pulling along his bum leg as best he can without aggravating it further. He finally relents and lets Jongin help him a little. The omega puts his arm behind Baekhyun's shoulders and pulls him up while Baekhyun adjusts his lower features and when he's finally reclining nicely and breathing again, it gets awkward.

“Uhm, thanks.” 

“No problem...” Jongin looks about as weird as Baekhyun feels. “Want... pizza now?”

“Yeah, sure!” 

Of course it's going to be strange though, eating food on his bed while Kai sits on a chair beside him, and neither of them look at each other directly, or at least they don't when the other is looking. Baekhyun can feel him peaking though, and he does the same when Jongin looks elsewhere, chewing on their pizza slices like they never spent three days having sex. 

“Thanks for coming by,” Baekhyun finally says, lamely.

“Uhm, I didn't mind coming by...” Jongin barely squeaks.

“Oh. Well, thanks anyways.” He scratches his head and tosses his napkin into the empty box and stares at the indent of his toes under the blanket before him. “I didn't think I'd see you actually... since... you know.” Baekhyun tries to keep his voice neutral, and not embarrass himself any further.

“You didn't? Why not?” 

“Oh, well because...”

Fortunately Jongin doesn't make him spell out those words. In fact, he looks kind of embarrassed for himself, and Baekhyun doesn't know why.

“I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... make you hurt. If only we hadn't- that last time. I'm sorry it took so long.” Jongin is thoroughly flushed by the time he finishes that statement and Baekhyun just stares at him.

“Wait, you think that's your fault? No, no, no it's not your fault! You can't help that. I mean, if anything it's  _my_ fault! I'm just... not in as good a shape as I thought I was. I'm sorry, I'm the one who ruined it. Really... I hope you find someone better than me... next time...” Baekhyun doesn't even want to continue living; he'd much rather mope.

But Jongin's voice echoes through his misery. “What do you mean next time?”

“Next time... you can find someone not as lame as me.” Baekhyun sighs heavily, not even looking at him. He hears Jongin kind of choking though. He hopes it's not because he just swallowed his pizza wrong, and so he peeks through his eyelids, and nope- there's no mouthful of pizza anywhere. Instead, Jongin is staring at him bewildered and sad all at the same time.

“Why would I pick someone else though?” he asks in a soft voice. Something in Baekhyun's heart starts to come alive again.

“You mean, you still want to be with me?” says Baekhyun incredulously. “Even after I...”

“Uhm... yes.” Jongin averts his head, shy little smile starting to form. And yes, that is definitely Baekhyun's heart pounding once again.

“Really!? You mean, you still like me?”

“I... I've always liked you. I just, well I was hoping you wouldn't give up on me and... but, you didn't come see me afterwards so I asked around and found out you hurt your leg and Kyungsoo said it was because... of me. But, Baekhyun, do you mind if... well... do you like me still?”

His eyes are so pleading, like a bashful little puppy dog and Baekhyun absolutely cannot believe his luck. “Of course! I do! I really do! I have for a long, long time and... wow.” He ends lamely, still astonished but Jongin looks a little happier now and his smile is too infectious. Baekhyun just wants to jump the boy and cuddle him for a long, long time, but he can't and that's frustrating.

Good thing Jongin can read minds, or something like that. ”Do you mind if I... If I don't move very fast, can I just... lay next to you, please?” he begs. 

Baekhyun doesn't even have to respond with words. His smile is enough to have Jongin slowly, slowly crawling across the bedcovers with only minor sparks of pain from Baekhyun. He pauses and keeps on going, and by the time he's snuggled to his side, Baekhyun has no reason to complain and absolutely no desire to have him go away. He reclines on his pillow, bad leg stretched out on one side with Jongin's entangled around the other and his head nearly in his Baekhyun's lap. Both of them snooze like that and when Kyungsoo pokes his head in a little while later, Baekhyun can't even be bothered to glare at him. 

 


	2. [2.1] Xiuhan

Minseok and Tao are pretty much attached to the hip most days, not that it's Minseok's ideal way to travel from hallway to hallway, or outside along the sidewalks between campus buildings. Tao is an omega and he's clingy, and Minseok is his omega best friend, therefore it's considered socially acceptable, and nobody will get the wrong idea about them. Truth be told, Minseok thinks Tao does it extra so that Sehun will notice him but he's kind of wasting his time there. The beta is their mutual friend, but he treats the two omegas equally the same- which is to say, he doesn't treat them like anything special at all. 

"I think I'm doomed for another solo time," Tao complains, his head resting up against Minseok's as they wait in line for lunch. The smaller omega doesn't even bat an eyelash, nor does he look amused. 

"When are you due?"

"A month." Tao huffs sadly. Minseok, however, just snorts.

"A month still away and you're already complaining? Either suck it up and live with the heat, or else... you know you only have to ask. There's half a dozen guys who would be willing, if you just bat your eyelashes at them."

"I don't want to bat my eyelashes. I want a boyfriend-"

"Then get one!" Minseok dislodges himself as Tao's pillow when the line moves forward.

"You say it like that's so easy..."

"Like I said, half a dozen guys-"

"Oh, look. It's Luhan!" 

"What?! Where!?" Minseok gasps and scowls, and he quickly hides behind Tao's taller frame while the other one just laughs. Minseok punches him in the back to get him to shut up, because really, his friend knows him too well and that's disconcerting enough without throwing Luhan into the mix. And yet, the alpha always does tend to follow them around when it could be construed as accidental enough. The food court is just the first of Luhan's haunts, and Minseok never fails to be spotted. 

"Is he gone? Where is he now?" Minseok practically plasters himself behind Tao, completely forgetting how he dislikes it when Tao does the same to him. 

"He's looking straight at me and smiling in that weird sad way he always smiles, so I think that means he's seen you and... yeah, okay, he's going now. You can come out. Minseok... why are you so mean to him?"

Minseok steps out, looking around to verify Tao's statement, and only when he sees the back of Luhan's head rounding a corner does he breathe a little easier. 

"I'm not mean, I just don't... like him very well."

"But you like him well enough on two occasions a year for the past two years."

"That's because he's great in bed and he fits me just right," Minseok declares with a clinical finish. 

"And so?" Tao complains hotly, like he does every time this conversation comes up. "What's wrong with him that you won't actually talk to him every other day of the year?! You know he likes you so much. Like, probably is absolutely in love with you."

Minseok guesses this may be true, although he's not solid on the facts, and neither is Tao. It offends him that his friend can act so adamant about a relationship that has nothing to do with him, but then Minseok is kind of used to it. Tao is a year younger, and he's never been with anybody before. He's always suffered on by himself like the valiant omega he is. He doesn't know what it's like to be with someone during the heat, has no idea what it's like to wake up when it's over, practically suffocating from the scent of an alpha. The cloying natural perfumes that invade his senses and his pores and make Minseok want to vomit from the overarching dominance of the feeling. A scent that begs of  _mine_  so strongly Minseok can't help but be put off by it. 

The first time he asked Luhan to help, they'd only known each other for a couple months. The alpha was kind and funny, a bit of a clutz and in no way like that breed of domineering alphas who mark up their territories like everything is theirs for the taking. Minseok didn't want to be alone, and Luhan seemed like a safe bet. He was excited, eager, considerate and  _loving_  when the time came. It was a little bit addicting. 

It was only afterwards that Minseok panicked. He said his goodbyes, not actually intending to blow Luhan off completely, but as soon as he got back to his own room, he showered for a long, long time, scrubbing his flesh of the alpha's fragrance. His nose twitched, and his head swam, and not even the scalding water could clear his senses or cleanse his skin. Days later even, Minseok noticed how other alphas - betas even - gave him a wide berth whenever they encountered them. Even the ones he'd been casual friends with suddenly refused to talk to him, not wanting to appear too cozy, like somehow they thought Minseok was officially off limits.

"You still smell like him," Tao finally told him, and Minseok remembers the fury he felt. He couldn't even smell it anymore, or distinguish it, it was so deeply ingrained. Realizing that the cloying scent that made him want to feel sick all the time was actually what everyone else was sniffing off of him too.

"He scent-marked me!?" Minseok raged instead. 

"Apparently so."

Minseok had never felt so betrayed. He'd thought Luhan would be such a moderate alpha, the kind who wouldn't force himself upon an omega unless a more permanent arrangement was asked of him, or at least well discussed. Because Minseok never wanted to be marked. To be suddenly set apart, claimed, without even a word of warning. He still remembers the day he marched up to Luhan and told him this exactly, how the alpha had cringed before him and apologized and pleaded his innocence, how it had happened to him too, unbidden.

But an alpha always has the final call on something like this. They can talk about lack of control all they want to, but scent-marking is an act they have to be conscious of doing. Minseok swore he wouldn't have anything more to do with Luhan. Until the next heat cycle came around and Minseok realized he was not strong enough to endure it alone. He showed back up at Luhan's door whining one day, and that set the pattern. They had a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Minseok avoided him every other day of the year. 

"Did you know," Tao begins to say now, "I asked Yixing once, and he says Luhan hasn't been with anybody since he was first with you. He's knotted you four times in two years, and acts like a monk for the rest of it." Tao actually sneers at his friend, and Minseok feels a twinge of guilt. But only a twinge.

"Well good for him, because nobody will come near me either, still. To this day."

 

 

 

 

A month later and Minseok is starting to feel antsy again. He's got a few weeks left before his heat starts, but spending a whole week during that time listening to Tao complain about how miserable he was for  _his_  heat is not making Minseok any happier. He wrestles with his options: make an appearance on Luhan's doorstep, or fly solo. He already knows nobody else is going to volunteer, not with how he smells. Tao says the scent grows weaker the longer it's been, but it's still there nevertheless. Luhan may have never intentionally marked him again, but the very fact Minseok's been with him three times since reinvigorates the scent. 

With a week to spare, Minseok accidentally runs into Luhan. And when he thinks accidentally, it may actually be on purpose this time, just a little bit. He knows Luhan is aware of him coming; Minseok can't sneak up on him if he tried. So when he accidentally on purpose approaches Luhan where he's sitting down at a study table in a quiet part of the library, Minseok is a little bewildered when the alpha doesn't look up. 

"Hi," Minseok says anyways, because the alternative is to just walk on by and pretend he never meant to be here.

Finally, Luhan lifts his head. "Hi," he says without one ounce of emotion. 

"How... are you?" 

"I'm fine." Luhan drops his head back down to whatever notebook he's studying out of, acting for all the world that he doesn't care about Minseok's presence. Not one little bit. This is already different from any other time Minseok has ever run into him, and it doesn't sit right in his stomach. 

"That's good..." Minseok starts to say.

However, the alpha immediately sighs and without looking up he says quickly, "Your heat's coming up isn't it?" 

"It... it is, yeah." Minseok tangles his own fingers against one another, and as cooly as he can muster he asks, "I was curious, what are you going to be doing next week? Maybe on Wednesday-"

"The answer is  _no_."

"What?" His hands drop to his sides, eyes frozen on Luhan's indifferent form, and for a moment he can't even breathe. "Huh?"

"I said, no. _No_ , I will not help you. I'm sorry."

A lot of emotions swirl around Minseok's head, most of which he can't even understand. He was just refused; Luhan refused him. He came to him specifically to say hello and ask him for sex and Luhan said no. What Minseok plans to do now, he doesn't know, and he doesn't even get that far in his head because, "Why do you say, you're sorry?" 

That's the real mystery, that's why Minseok is the most confused, because of how sad Luhan looks, even in profile. And then he looks up, a half smile on his pursed lips, hand paused where it holds onto a pen. Luhan leans on his elbows on the desk and seeks out Minseok's very wide, very large and very heart-shocked eyes.

"I'm sorry, because I know it's hard on you. But I... I can't keep doing this to myself. I'm sorry."

There's something more to this, something Minseok is vaguely aware of - and if he thought about it thoroughly then maybe he would see Luhan's heartbreak - but instead, he snaps.

"You can't!"

"I can't what?"

"You can't say that... I... Nobody else will come to me!" Minseok's voice is shaking, so is his head, and he feels almost like he's about to pass out. 

Luhan throws back his chair and stands up, suddenly worried. He reaches out as if to catch him, but Minseok takes a step back, already getting ahold of himself because the last thing he wants is to appear like a distressed omega. He isn't even close to his heat yet, but Luhan can be so infuriating. 

"Minseok, sit down... please?" Luhan runs his teeth along the bottom of his lip, apparently concerned.

"No."

"Minseok, please?"

"No, not until you tell me why?"

"Really?" Luhan gasps, exasperated. "Really? Minseok, you need  _me_  to tell you why not?!"

"Yes."

"Then why don't _you_  start? Huh? Tell me why you only come to me when you need me, and never at any other time? How long am I supposed to keep doing this? I'm there for you when you want it, because I care for you, Minseok. I really like you. But after it's over you're gone, and you won't tell me why. You won't let me get close again. I'm tired of feeling like shit, and I don't want to do this anymore. So tell me why?!" 

Minseok falters, and his lips tremble. "I... because..." But he can't say it. He doesn't know how to explain anything. He only knows that at this particular moment, he feels like shit too but he doesn't know how to fix this.

"If you want me for your heat, Minseok, you have to want me back... even afterwards," Luhan says.

All Minseok hears though is an ultimatum. "Are you threatening me now? What is this? Blackmail?" He steps forward, almost in a full out rage, and he doesn't care anymore if anyone hears him. "This is exactly why I don't like alphas, Luhan! You're pushy and insistent! You know very well that no other alpha or even a beta will come near because of  _your_ scent. It's your fault, and you dare coax me into something permanent when you know I don't have any other options!? And you wonder why I don't-"

"Minseok, I only marked you once, and that was an accident! I've never done it again!"

"Then why is it still on me?! Luhan, why?!"

"I don't know, but it's not my fault!"

There is silence after Luhan's pronouncement. Minseok pants heavily; he wants to cry but he's trying so hard not to lose it completely, acting like he's not already dangling over the edge. But now the alpha has shouted at him, his scent so powerful and overwhelming that's it's clouding Minseok's best judgment, so Minseok has no choice but to react and put up a barrier. 

"How is it not your fault then?" he almost sobs. 

Luhan looks so remorseful now. It's making Minseok's resolve start to waver. 

"I don't know. I'm sorry. I know it was my fault the first time, but Minseok, I'm not the one who's keeping it there."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that it's supposed to fade." Luhan looks like he wants everything in the world  _but_  for his mark to fade, but he's trying so hard to let it go. 

"It won't fade because you and I keep..."

"I haven't touched you in  _six months_." Luhan shakes his head. "When Jongin broke up with his last boyfriend, the alpha's scent faded completely within  _three months_ , else Baekhyun wouldn't have been able to get anywhere close to him."

"What are you saying?" Minseok almost chokes.

"I'm saying it's you. You're the one keeping it there, not me. And that's why I can't figure you out, and why my head keeps going in circles and why my heart can't accept the fact that you don't apparently want anything to do with me. And I don't... I don't want to keep doing this anymore. So I won't.  _You_  figure it out. On your own. Either lose my scent completely, or else... or else, I think you know that I want you. And not for just twice a year. I want you for always..."

Luhan's eyes are glassy, mirroring Minseok's own, and he knows there are tears slipping out the corners of his eyes but Minseok can't stop them from falling. He also can't stop Luhan from walking away.

"You know where to find me if you change your mind," says the alpha, as he gathers up his things and leaves the table. 

He leaves a shell-shocked Minseok standing there crying, confused, beating himself up over the head because he doesn't know what's the matter with him. Or why he's done this to himself. He slumps to the floor and hides behind the chair legs, clutching on to them like he's drowning, and it takes him half an hour before he's able to dry his eyes and pull himself together. 

He finds Tao later, the omega lost in the middle of a nap in his room, and Minseok crawls to his side, wrapping his arms around his friend's waist. He doesn't even have to say anything for the other to wake up and see his need, and so Tao holds him for a long, long while until Minseok is calm again. 

"Tao, I think I fucked up..." 

"Mmmmm," his friend agrees. "Probably. I think though, you can still fix it?"

"Maybe... I think maybe I can..."

 


	3. [3.1] Chensoo

They say roommates make the worst friends, but Kyungsoo doesn't necessarily buy into that. His roommate is Chanyeol, a fellow beta, and despite Chanyeol being an occasional loud mouth, he's not that bad of a guy. They bump shoulders every now and then and sometimes rooming with another person makes for cramped quarters, but that could happen with anybody. Even Minseok complains fairly often about sharing a dorm with Tao - like every other day - but Kyungsoo only has one problem with Chanyeol, and that is Chanyeol's best friend Jongdae. 

Jongdae's an omega, not quite as obnoxious as Chanyeol, way prettier than Chanyeol. Of course that is just Kyungsoo's opinion. He's a little bit a lot in love with him thanks to his almost constant proximity. If Jongdae isn't in heat, he's typically hanging out with Chanyeol which means near Kyungsoo, usually in their dorm. When he is in heat, he's with an alpha. The last one happened a little over a month ago, and Jongdae hasn't quit talking about Yixing and how good his accursed alpha knot is since the day he revived and walked out of Yixing's room on his own two feet, wonder and fulfillment and satisfaction in his eyes. 

The worst though was when he tried not only to proposition Yixing into a more permanent relationship - kindly refused - he then begged to schedule Yixing to assist him through his next heat - again, a kind refusal, but only because Yixing is a gentleman and tries not to plan so far ahead.  _Gives an omega a chance to change his mind, wow, he's like the best thing to happen to this world since sliced bread and marshmallows!_  Jongdae's words, not his. 

Kyungsoo's crush has got the better of him, and it pretty much sucks. Because he's only a beta, and he has no knot, and while he thinks that makes him no less of a punishing, dominant man, Jongdae evidently thinks so. 

The second worst thing about his crush is that Kyungsoo isn't even pining away in secret. He's actually told Jongdae he likes him, offered his services if ever Jongdae would like: now, later, any time, heat or no heat. And Jongdae is too kind hearted to let him down meanly. He just smiles and goofs off, teases Kyungsoo, and no matter of glaring on the beta's part can persuade Jongdae that he is just as good,  _equal_  to if not better than any alpha. 

Kyungsoo thinks Chanyeol probably pities him, but his roommate is still more Jongdae's friend than he is Kyungsoo's, and besides: Jongdae has all the good pictures.

“Hey, look at this one. Damn!” 

Chanyeol may be drooling a little. At least it's on his bed and not Kyungsoo's. The beta-omega friend duo are plopped up on Chanyeol's bed, Jongdae's phone held up between them and their heads together while Jongdae scrolls through his collection. 

“Wow, that one is huge,” says Chanyeol, eyes amazed and his mouth hanging open.

Jongdae just hums in appreciation. “I know. Have you ever seen one this big- wait, I have another one. Where is it...”

He slides past another few pictures, and Kyungsoo doesn't even have to look up from his textbook to know when they find  _the bigger one_. Chanyeol instantly starts groaning, and Jongdae hisses, shaking his head at whatever beauty is on his phone. “Would you look at that... would you  _look. at. that_?”

“Uhhhhhh,” says Chanyeol intelligently. 

“Yeahhh, now just imagine that inside you,” Jongdae drones on.

This could probably continue for a million years. Kyungsoo knows Jongdae has enough knot pictures in his collection to last that long. He slams his book down on his lap and practically screams. 

“Would you quit, already?! Oh my God!” 

Jongdae immediately clicks his phone off, puts it down, and then smiles across the room. “Were we bothering you? I'm sorry.”

“No, you aren't, you little sh-”

Jongdae laughs, and Kyungsoo knows he's already lost this battle. Before it even begins. Against anyone else Kyungsoo can instill the fear of God, even for Chanyeol. But not for Jongdae. Nothing works on Jongdae. Nothing except Kyungsoo's own misery and Jongdae's happy, continuing insistence that Kyungsoo probably just isn't good enough for him.  _He might be, but probably not._  Jongdae's words, not his. Kyungsoo's never had a  _kinder_  crush. 

“Were you jealous?” Jongdae fakes being concerned. “Sorry, we can share. Hey, do you want to see Yixing's? I snapped a great shot last time and- oh where it is?”

He's already unlocking his phone again, surfing for the picture with Chanyeol's hungry little face beside his, neither one of them paying any mind to Kyungsoo's howls of indignation. 

“Got it!” Jongdae cries after a moment.

Kyungsoo wants to cry. In fact, he does just that, on his bed, under his pillow, mostly out of mortification that life has gotten so far out of his hands. He's not even sad anymore. He's too miserable to actually be sad. He hears Chanyeol's ohhhs and ahhhs, Jongdae clucking appreciatively and probably about to start reminiscing aloud. Fortunately, he does not.

“Yeah, this is the absolute best one in my collection. Also, the only one I've had myself, Mmmm. Everything else comes just from the internet. Well, mostly. See these, I got these from some fellow omegas- aren't they nice?” 

Jongdae's already back to forgetting Kyungsoo's existence, babbling wildly about color and size and shape and probably feel. 

“I've got almost all the popular alphas in school. I'm just missing three, but Joonmyun keeps to himself so much he's basically got no picture record. And Jongin and Minseok are such greedy, selfish little things they won't share even a pic. I mean, wow that's rude.” 

Chanyeol nods like he might be agreeing, but when Kyungsoo pops his head to see what they're doing, it's to catch Jongdae actually smirking across the room at him, and Chanyeol scrolling backwards like he's probably looking for Yixing again. Kyungsoo knows he has something of a thing for Yixing and the fact that Jongdae got to him first has apparently no reflection on their friendship. It's just what alphas and omegas do. On the other hand, betas like him and Kyungsoo are frequently left out to dry. Life isn't fair.

 

 

 

It's still not fair a month later when Jongdae knocks on his door looking for Chanyeol, although the beta isn't in. Kyungsoo answers it with a roll of his eyes, tells Jongdae basically to screw off, and instead Jongdae invites himself right in. He hops on Chanyeol's bed and starts to make himself cozy. Kyungsoo just stares at him scowling for a few seconds and then decides his best bet is to pretend the omega isn't even there. 

Of course it doesn't work though.

“So, Kyungsoo. Soo. Kyungsoo, so,” Jongdae plays around.

“What.”

“Wow, you sound pretty miffed. I was just gonna chat with you for a little bit.”

“I don't want you to chat with me. I'm busy. If you're going to wait for Chanyeol, then either wait silently or get out.” 

Jongdae pops his mouth dramatically in a silent gasp. Kyungsoo's just about to screech at him again when Jongdae actually closes his mouth, looking for a moment like a more serious individual. He worries his upper lip between his teeth, frowning. Meanwhile Kyungsoo tries not to pretend how attractive the other male is. 

And then Jongdae throws something into the air. “Speaking of getting out, we should go out.”

Kyungsoo spins around, actually glaring at him. “What?”

Jongdae shrugs, eyebrows popping. “I said we should go out sometime. You know, like a date? How 'bout it?”

“Are you messing with me?” Kyungsoo almost spits.

“No?”

“Then did you forget I'm a beta?”

“How can I forget? You smell like a beta. It's very poignant by the way. Like rust in the rain, or ocean breeze. Slightly mildewed rose- Hey, what are you doing?! Don't hit me! Don't hit me! I like those scents actually! Believe me! Please! Ow, Kyungsoo stop! Stop, please! Ow that hurts!”

But Kyungsoo doesn't stop pelting him with pillows and then whacking him over the head with the ones that missed. He doesn't know where his fury has been kept contained all these months, but it's definitely coming out now and Jongdae is the perfect target. Small and squishy but not enough that it actually hurts because instead of screeching he actually starts laughing - still dodging Kyungsoo's pillow attacks. It's infectious and as Kyungsoo's energy begins to give up, his pillow strikes hit with less force and he starts to laugh and snarl all at the same time until Jongdae snatches the last pillow out of his hand and instead of beating him, Kyungsoo overbalances and falls straight into his lap. 

And that's when Chanyeol finds them. Panting, laughing, entangled and practically weeping from all that exertion combined.

“Uhh, woah!” 

Kyungsoo and Jongdae both spring apart, equally embarrassed so there's no way either of them can pretend this wasn't just part of a joke. Chanyeol looks between each of their stricken faces and blushes. 

“I... just came back because I forgot my notebook. Jongdae, I thought were weren't meeting up until after dinner? What... are you doing here?”

_Caught!_  says Jongdae's face when he scowls, teeth pressed together, bottom corners of his lips pulled wide. 

“I just... I just... uhm...”

“Hey, we're gonna date now, so Chanyeol do you mind giving us some privacy, please?” Kyungsoo smiles like he's a million and one times innocent. 

His roommate wastes not a single second grabbing his things and rushing out of the door. Meanwhile Jongdae is the one looking most mortified, and it's Kyungsoo's turn to smirk. Who's caught who now?

 


	4. [2.2] Xiuhan

It's absolutely awful how he can sense him, even halfway across the campus. The dorms aren't located anywhere near each other, centered on three separate corners so that no accidents occur. Alphas on the east, betas on the north, and the omegas all by themselves on the western edge of the university. For an alpha to 'happen' into the omega sector, you have to already be there with an intent and purpose. It's not exactly closed off, and in this day and age security isn't ridiculously strict. Luhan could go over there right now if he wanted to, he doesn't even need a written pass. He'd be granted entry by right of scent alone. 

His omega is in heat. Minseok is in heat, and because he wouldn't wise up first and tell Luhan what he wants, he's going through it alone. 

Yixing bursts into their room, and as if Luhan doesn't know, he proceeds to tell him all about Minseok, practically snarling because he can't figure out why Luhan is still here.

"Aren't you going to him?!"

"No."

"I don't understand... why not?"

"Because he didn't ask me to."

Yixing actually starts sputtering at this. "What are you talking about. Of course he asked you. He  _always_ asks you. He asked you this time too!"

Luhan sits very still, forehead down, hands clasped together almost cutting off his own circulation. "Not since we met in the library. He... he never talked to me after that. He was supposed to talk to me and t-tell me..." 

His voice trails off, and when he dares to look up, Yixing is frozen too, mouth halfway open like he's about to continue scolding but decided better of it. Luhan knows he's broken out into a sweat. Cold droplets form at the crest of his hairline and neck, and his skin is practically seething.

"Can... can you smell him?" Yixing asks, kinder this time.

"Not exactly. I just... know. Somehow."

Yixing scoffs, not loudly though. He sits down on the opposite side of the room, judging him no doubt. A couple minutes tick by while Luhan tries to get a hold of himself. He wants to bite through his own skin, that's how much he wants to bolt. That or jump out of a building  _into_  a fire.

Finally Yixing says, "You should go to him anyways. He's going to be miserable."

"I can't," Luhan gasps.

"Says who? Get up and go over there right now."

"Yixing, I said I can't. He didn't call me."

But Yixing starts to argue. "He did-"

" _No, he didn't,"_ Luhan almost growls. "I gave him my terms. He did not respond, and if an omega doesn't want to comply with my offer, then I physically, legally can _not_  go over there! Please stop making this harder for me than it already is.  _Please!_ " 

Yixing just sighs, grunting loudly and he runs his hands through his hair in annoyance, muttering under his breath something about omegas, but Luhan can't quite catch what he says. Instead, he decides to ride out the day under a few ton of blankets and try not to compare his suffering to what Minseok is probably going through. It's all so stupid and pointless, and both of them know it. Yixing knows it too, and that's just the topper on the cake. For all intents and purposes, it's like they're mates, they give off the exact same vibe, except for Minseok not wanting to either fully commit or break away. 

Yixing goes out, comes back a few hours later and pats the imprint of Luhan's head beneath his blanket. 

"Still here?" he asks quietly, rhetorically. 

Luhan sniffs, forgetting he's pretending to be asleep. "I can't go over there..." He repeats it like it's a mantra. 

"He's still alone though. You know he's waiting for you-"

"Can't. Can't."

"You hate him so much that you'll stay away?"

"Can't. Can't. I don't hate him either. These are the rules."

His voice is muffled, he knows it. And since Yixing is refusing to let it go, he feels the need to drag down his blanket and repeat it to his roommate's face. Yixing sighs at his puffy, red eyes, and he sits down on the bed beside him. 

"You laid out some pretty strict rules for him though," he says sadly.

Luhan kind of agrees, partly. "Maybe so, but he could have done something different. Any alpha, even a beta. He could have asked anyone. He could have shrugged off my scent and found another option. It's his fault he does this to himself." Luhan actually wants to cry. 

Yixing sighs again. "Oh, Luhan... If that's what you think, that he would invite in just any old alpha, then you have a problem. You both do."

 


	5. [4.1] Chanxing

Chanyeol really doesn't have anywhere to go. His life is in an uproar. First there is his friendship with Jongdae, still fine and strong but now that Jongdae is officially dating Chanyeol's roommate Kyungsoo, for part of the day his room is kind of off limits. It's not even because they're in there doing sexy stuff, but because together they fight and bicker and play and act cute (at least Jongdae does) and that kind of grosses Chanyeol out more than the other stuff.

The second thing going on is how all of his friends seems to be occupied with the ongoing drama that is Luhan and Minseok. Apparently there are  _sides_  to be taken, or whatever kind of nonsense. It's just funny how most of Minseok's friends seem to think  _he's_  being the idiot, and Luhan is the saint, and how Luhan's friends tend to think the reverse. Nothing makes sense to Chanyeol anymore. Tao and Sehun have been arguing about it nonstop, Jongdae is totally confused as to why Minseok would even do this to himself, and Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes. Joonmyun once wandered by and was asked his opinion; the alpha merely shook his head like this was completely out of his league and practically ran away. Baekhyun thinks the whole thing is kind of funny after a fashion (although he can't figure out how Luhan contains himself). Jongin just snoozes on Baekhyun's shoulder like none of this is his problem; and it isn't. Chanyeol likes him the best right now because that's logic he can get behind.

And then there is Yixing. He's clearly just as clueless, but publicly less vocal about it. Chanyeol can't help how his eyes are drawn to him every time Yixing comes around, and it's not merely to gauge his reaction to their friends' big mess. Chanyeol has always been fascinated by the alpha. Shorter than him, but beautiful, blessed with golden hair and a great knot, if Jongdae has anything to say about it. 

It comes as a relief to Chanyeol when he notices no awkwardness between Yixing and Jongdae. They exchange greetings, basic dialogue, a few jokes just as they always have, but now that Jongdae is taken - by a beta no less - there's actual relief hidden behind Yixing's eyes. Probably no one but Chanyeol has noticed it, the slightly tense way Yixing would stand whenever Jongdae was around, whether it was to proposition him or not. This is a good a development. A very good development indeed.

It's while hiding behind a couple palm trees on a bench in a lovely courtyard in the art building - one of the rare quiet spots on campus, and thus Chanyeol's haven among havens - that he sees Yixing. Normally there's nobody around, and that's great because sometimes Chanyeol talks to himself when he's studying, or reading, or thinking. Fortunately he isn't talking out loud now. He sits up when he hears footsteps coming closer and through the palm branches sees Yixing passing by. Chanyeol is unseen, and that's cool. That's perfectly cool because what would he say to Yixing even if he got the chance? A girl, however, is running up behind Yixing, the alpha's name on her lips and a cute, blushing expression. Chanyeol groans to himself because, here it goes.

"Yixing! Oh, wait up!" The girl smiles when she sees Yixing stop and turn around.

"Yes?"

He smiles at her, and Chanyeol definitely doesn't hiss. What is this, a secret crush or something? 

"Hi! I'm... I'm Irene, do you remember me?"

"Of course I do. We've had similar classes for a few semesters, right?"

"Yeah... we have." She looks positively lovestruck.

And that's when Chanyeol realizes what she is: an omega. Life must really be out to get Chanyeol if he's run this far to avoid any drama, only to be crushed with such a scene.

"Can I help you with something?" Yixing asks. 

Irene blushes, and Chanyeol just sighs. Ever the lead-in question. He immediately decides to shut off his ears and not listen to how the rest of this goes. Hearing Yixing getting hit up for sex by another cute omega is just not how Chanyeol planned on spending his day. It's bad enough he's liked the guy for probably close to a year, bad enough he got to listen to his friend talk about him. Small consolation that he has the alpha's... picture saved somewhere in his phone. 

"I'm sorry, I really can't."

Yixing's voice strikes through every barrier in Chanyeol's brain, the spark of hope and life itself.

"Oh," Irene sounds sad. "Are you already busy that week?"

"Ah, no. It's just that I...uhmm..." 

He can't really formulate the rejection well enough, but it's enough that Irene gets it. She apologizes sweetly, thanks him for speaking with her, and then speed-walks out of the courtyard as fast as she daintily can. Chanyeol almost feels her pain. What a relief that Chanyeol is never in such a position to ask for such assistance, although maybe he could have had a chance. If Jongdae could... maybe Yixing just doesn't like girls? 

Sadly, he probably won't ever have the chance to know. Betas don't have the same kind of luxury, the chance of forging romantic ties through age old physical needs. If they're going to get anything for themselves they have to just go out and... get it. Chanyeol supposes he could take some advice out of Kyungsoo's way of doing things and just tell the guy. But then again, Kyungsoo liked an omega. Chanyeol likes an alpha, and alphas do whatever they want. They don't need a partner, don't necessarily crave affection the way omegas do, not unless it's their actual head brains doing the work, or their potential mate is involved. 

Betas don't come with a lot of perks either. No knots, no heats, not nearly as fertile, either at giving or taking seed. Mostly they're just so sickeningly normal. Average. That's all Park Chanyeol is: average. He sighs to himself. Not even realizing that he's been seen.

"Chanyeol?"

He might have fallen over had he not already been sitting down. "Huh?"

"Hey, didn't see you there."

Chanyeol has barely enough time to remember this cool thing people do call breathing, before Yixing is walking around the palm tree enclosure to where Chanyeol is sitting. 

"I guess you heard that?" Yixing looks apologetic. "I'm sorry if we disturbed you."

"You... you didn't."

"Mind if I sit?" Yixing indicates the bench and Chanyeol is quick to oblige. "Sorry. I guessed though she might try and talk to me after class so I kind of lead her here, thinking it would be more private than in the hallways. Do you think I was too mean? Too harsh?"

"Nooo, you were great! I mean-" 

Chanyeol falters at the look Yixing is giving him. A second ago he looked hopeful but sad; now he just looks amused by the beta's reaction.

"I mean... I think you... turned her down nicely. Do you always do that?" Once again Chanyeol's mouth runs away with him.

Yixing laughs in an indulging way. "Mostly, yeah. I get... and don't take this like I'm boasting or anything but, I get a lot of offers like that. It's kind of insane. So I turn almost all of them away." 

"You slept with Jongdae though." Somebody really needs to sew Chanyeol's lips together real quick, or something.

Yixing laughs again, although this time he looks a little embarrassed. "Yeah, well, he's a friend. And anyways, I'm glad he's got a boyfriend right now. He's your best friend, right?"

"Soo or Jongdae?"

"Uhm... either?" Yixing scratches behind his ear like he finds this conversation just as weird as Chanyeol does.

"Well, one's my roommate and the other is my best friend, and now they're dating, so I guess they both kind of are now." 

Their scintillating dialogue goes on hold for a second while all that sinks in. Basically it's code for Yixing asking if Jongdae has talked about him, Chanyeol essentially confirming that (because everybody knows Jongdae keeps no secrets). Chanyeol's only glad their silent repertoire doesn't extend to the pictures Chanyeol has of him on his phone. He decides he will definitely delete those later, to relieve himself of guilt at the very least. Yixing is kind of a sweetie, but he's definitely alpha material. Chanyeol has no idea how offended Yixing would be, and he really doesn't want to find out. It's intimidating enough that Yixing knows his name-

"You know, omegas have always kind of intimidated me," Yixing confesses out of the blue.

"What?"

"Yeah, I mean I like them and all but... and please don't take this the wrong way. I know Jongdae is your friend, and a lot of other omegas as well, but they're... there're just so many weird dynamics about them. First their heat, which is scary as hell and I would never want to be an omega because damn, that's got to suck."

Chanyeol grunts because... yeah. Not that he really knows though.

"Then there's the part where they just need somebody, and that's also kind of scary, because that means it's either a business-like arrangement or else they want to have your babies for real. There's no... there's no middle ground. No intermediary step."

Yixing doesn't look like he's having an absolute life crisis, and that's good because Chanyeol doesn't know how he would handle that. On the other hand, why is he telling him all this? They aren't exactly the closest of friends.

"So, you don't like omegas?" is all Chanyeol can say. There's another thought behind this, but he isn't willing to really open up and find it yet. 

"It's not that," Yixing tries to explain. "It's just... hard, you know."

"So, you don't dislike omegas, but maybe there is one omega you actually like and-" 

Chanyeol's never played the role of confidante before. If this is where Yixing's going, then it doesn't quite suck, but-

Yixing smiles. "Nah, it's nothing like that. I'm just thinking out loud."

The longer Yixing thinks out loud though, the more Chanyeol thinks internally there there might be something else Yixing is trying to say here. He doesn't want to press the point... actually though he does.

"How about betas then?"

Instantly Chanyeol seethes inside. Always, always he ruins things like this and now Yixing's going to think he's weird. He looks down at his knees, avoiding the alpha's gaze and trying to pretend he's totally cool, totally chill. When he glances up though, Yixing doesn't look like he's about to explode. In fact, he looks more than unusually calm.

"I like betas."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Yixing also isn't looking at him directly, which could mean he doesn't want this to be misconstrued the wrong way, or... but then he looks up and Chanyeol nearly dies because he's never seen an alpha really blush. At least not in front of a beta like him.

"Huh," says Chanyeol, very intelligently. 


	6. [2.3] Xiuhan

Luhan barely gets through the next couple of days. He doesn't have the luxury to take off for sick days; he has classes and a life to try and maintain. Friends to put in appearances with, friends' gazes to avoid whenever they look at him and know somehow that Luhan is supposed to be somewhere else. He's supposed to be _with_  someone else, but he's not. Luhan lets them look, lets them judge him. He'll take the blame for supposedly playing hooky, if that's what he needs to do. Swallow down his pride and carry on.

Finally it ends. He knows it when he wakes up on the fourth morning and he doesn't feel like being sick. Minseok must have finished, and now there are at least six more months to plan this better, or to make it stop. However, around mid-morning Tao knocks on his door. Tao, Minseok's roommate who has probably been sleeping over with friends for the past few days, but that doesn't explain why he's suddenly over in the alpha dorm asking for Luhan.

Luhan is probably too gruff in his interrogation, enough that Tao physically winces when he demands to know why Tao is here.

"Oh, it's not me who wants you. Actually, it's... it's Minseok. He asked for you."

"What? I can't go over there—"

"Look, he's done. Last night. He slept all through the night and is conscious now. He... wants to talk to you."

The omega looks fearful of even being here, like he isn't sure Luhan won't snap his head off, and nothing about Luhan's attitude has yet proven otherwise. He finds himself agreeing just so that Tao will settle down. 

And that's how he finds himself in Minseok's dorm, alone with the omega who sleeps on fresh sheets, all windows open as air circulates throughout the room. The fresh breeze is barely enough to keep Luhan from collapsing due to the scent of leftover pheromones. 

Luhan gulps, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. "Hi," he says to a lump in the bed that looked vaguely similar to the one he'd made several days before. At least Luhan hadn't been in such a state he couldn't get out of bed, whereas the omega has probably been here the whole time. 

Minseok doesn't answer and Luhan dares to step closer. Before he can speak though, the covers shift and Minseok pulls them down enough so that his face pops out. Red eyes like he's been crying, expression drawn taught, otherwise pitiful all around. 

"Hey," he says softly.

Luhan sits on the bed. "Are you alright?"

"Sort of," Minseok admits with a slight exhale. "Can you... can you please hold me for a bit?"

Luhan gnaws on the inside of his lower lip. Holding Minseok is everything Luhan wants to do, and the number one thing he's afraid of. Holding Minseok who might shove him off any second. It was always like that before, near the end of his heat. The difference now is that Minseok is completely finished. Tao did not lie. And a normal, conscious, free-thinking Minseok has never asked Luhan to cuddle before. 

He strips off his jacket without further ado and climbs in, legs crawling swiftly over Minseok's laying form so he can get in behind him. Luhan doesn't miss the soft sigh of relief when he spoons him, Minseok instantly pressing back to get comfy, and Luhan naturally draws him in. One hand against Minseok's shoulder blade, the other cradled around his stomach, nose pressed to the back of Minseok's recently showered head, this is how it's supposed to be. It doesn't matter to him now if Minseok kicks him out later, because the  _now_  is almost enough. Almost.

Time gets away from them; Minseok actually falls asleep. Luhan is left awake and try as he might, the longer he holds him like this, the more determined he is to never let him get away again. No more arguments, no more misunderstandings, no more accidents. As soon as Minseok wakes up they're going to have this conversation whether the omega wants to or not. And Luhan is going to do everything in his power to make him say yes. He imagines Minseok being grumpy, confused or just plain scared, and Luhan plans a whole host of scenarios to persuade him, to prove that Luhan loves him. If he has to cry and beg, he'll do it, Luhan is that determined for Minseok to be his.

As it turns out, all of his schemes are for nothing. 

He falls asleep and wakes up alone, the bed cold and his arms holding onto nothing. Panic is his first emotion, panic followed by depression, then despair and anger. He groans, almost starts to cry when he can't even see Minseok in the room. Then the door opens. Luhan scrambles to sit up on the bed, feet hitting the ground as he prepares to tackle the intruder, but Minseok gets to him first. He doesn't even realize for a moment that the mass of body hugging him is  _his_  omega, not until Minseok hums in response and lays him down. And then Luhan realizes he was shaking, beyond stressed thinking he'd been left again.

"Shhhh, shhh, I'm sorry." Minseok kneels beside him for a moment before he too sinks down into the mattress, head propped up on one elbow. He runs the other hand through Luhan's bangs, and the alpha's eyes roll back in his head, eye lids fluttering shut.

"You weren't here," he whispers back, almost whimpers.

"I had to pee, Luhan." 

"Oh."

He opens his eyes again to the loveliest face still hovering above his own, and all he can say is, "Minseok, please..."

The omega reads his message loud and clear.  _Please, don't leave me again. Please, always be by my side._

"Yes."

"Yes, what? Really?" Luhan tries to sit up in his excitement, but Minseok pushes him down again and snuggles close. 

"Yes, never let me go through that alone again."

For a second, only disappointment fills Luhan's chest. If that was the only reason—

"And yes, I never  _ever_ want to nap again without you sleeping beside me."

Some of that disappointment starts to dissipate.

"And yes, there's a reason I guess that I've never allowed your scent to fade... Luhan, I'm sorry. I didn't even realize how much I liked you... It was my fault, all of it."

All the disappointment disappears, to be replaced instead with immense joy, none of which Luhan allows to show on his face, yet. Minseok is staring at him as if asking forgiveness, and there's a part of Luhan that makes him want to suffer, at least for a little while. Show the omega who is actually boss around here and— "Ow!" He yelps when Minseok pokes him between the ribs. He squirms, holding onto his side in a bruised and wounded manner only to see Minseok leering beside him, laughing near silently. 

"Ow? That's all you're going to say to me?" he teases. "Luhan, I'm telling you I want to be your mate, for real, officially, and—“

"Okay, okay! I accept!" he yells, Minseok still laughing, but it's so infectious, both the sound of his breaths and the happiness that's near to bursting inside of Luhan's heart. "If you want forgiveness though, you have to stop poking me—owww!—Okay, fine. Just... lay still at least for a little while. I want to hold you a little longer, please?"

"Fine..."


	7. [5.1] Taohun

The thing about being an omega, a male omega, is that Tao is frankly intimidated by all other males who rank beta or above. Alphas in particular give him cause to shiver, and it also tends to make Minseok laugh. His friend and fellow omega isn't anything like him though.  _He_  claims it's less genetics and just a weird personality trait, one that directs all of Tao's one-sided affections to a beta by the name of Sehun. Tao holds that Minseok is just an above average omega, and therefore worthy of Tao gluing him to his side. Just as a sign of respect and friendship, nothing more. And, as Tao privately admits to himself every so often, Minseok gives him strength, sharing it through his stronger scent, and just that little bit of aid is enough to keep Tao going on most days.

With Minseok laid up for his heat though, and now mated in everything but name to an alpha - one who scares the shit out of Tao, who cares if Tao is actually taller - he's found himself fallen on hard times, solo more often than he used to be. It sucks even more because now Minseok isn't around to act as a buffer between Tao and Sehun. 

Tao absolutely is in love with the beta. He's a perfect fit, height-wise, not as intimidating as an alpha. He's funny, cute, sexy, a real omega-killer. Sehun can be or act like anything he wants to be, life just comes to him that naturally. Not a single person dislikes him, he's the all-around friend to everybody, and just about every omega wants him, beta or no.

It's Tao's great fortune that he's got more of an inside track as far as friendship goes; also that Sehun kind of dotes on him. Like a brother. Even their slight age difference has no bearing on the fact that Sehun as a beta has about a hundred times more chill than Tao does. Again, Minseok claims it's nothing to do with actual rank, it's just that Tao's crush is already so deep. The point is, Tao's not getting anywhere with Sehun, and everybody knows it. Especially Tao, but that doesn't mean he can't enjoy pining away in relative secrecy. 

He's sitting by himself one day in the food court in a corner booth that seats at least six people. It's not quite lunchtime but it's a great place still to hang out and wait for the vendors to open. He scatters his book bag and several accessories over the cushions to discourage anyone from joining him, hoping nobody actually gets offended and wants to fight him off. He'd be useless in a standoff. Also, there's no guarantee he's getting company today, although it's likely. Minseok is typically here with him, and Sehun usually joins them for lunch. Occasionally Baekhyun and Jongin will happen by and hang out as well, and Tao likes to get there early and save the big booth so that there's plenty of room. The worst thing is getting sandwiched in close between people whose scents confuse him or make him want to cower. 

The strange thing is none of those people show up first. It's the alpha Joonmyun who walks on by, stops, and then backtracks when he recognizes Tao. The omega gulps, but says nothing when Joonmyun asks if he can join him. Apart from their distinctions, the two are a lot alike: they're relative loners among their set of friends, quiet and unattached. Minseok has made numerous jokes already about Tao giving up his crush and trying for Joonmyun instead. Tao absolutely does not agree. 

"How're you?" Joonmyun asks him politely. Fortunately he sits on the opposite side of the table. 

"Good." Tao's answer is short and sweet. Anyone else he might have answered differently. Talk about how school stresses him out and how he's got too many assignments, how his best friend is kind of occupied lately, and how Sehun has been annoying him by acting overly macho whenever other omegas, male or female, come by. Macho as in puffing up his chest and being extra descriptive about bodily features he claims to prefer from one person to the next. The worst part is how fake Sehun sounds when he talks. Tao thinks he's being this way on purpose to ward off the possibility of Tao confessing, a cruel and unusual punishment, but also quite useless. Tao would never. He's too sure that Sehun doesn't like him like that.

"Good. That's... good."

"Huh?" Tao almost forgets he is talking to Joonmyun. Or rather, that the alpha is talking to him. 

"Huh?" Joonmyun looks about as confused. "Uh, nothing. Just, yeah."

Oh yes, they're very much alike, Tao realizes. No wonder Minseok always jokes about setting them up. For a half minute Tao suddenly worries that maybe Joonmyun likes him, a complication he is very against having to deal with. Tao doesn't like alphas. Alphas scare him. He much prefers a good beta... like Sehun.

"Hey, Tao."

Speaking of the devil, Sehun is the next one to arrive. From the angle he's approaching, he doesn't see Joonmyun, but Tao doesn't miss how the alpha visibly sighs when he realizes he won't be the sole person responsible for making conversation. It's probably as good a confirmation he's going to get that Joonmyun isn't interested in him, and thank goodness for that. The last thing he needs is for an alpha to start staking out a claim on him right in front of Sehun.

"What's up?" Sehun slides right in, and then stiffens when he sees Joonmyun. "Oh, Hey. Uhh, didn't see you there."

"Hey, Sehun. How're you?"

"Uhhm. Good... I'm good."

And this is why their gatherings are typically made better when the others are around. Guys like Minseok, Baekhyun, or even Jongdae. People who know how to actually converse without effort. Sadly though, between Tao, Sehun, and Joonmyun, the atmosphere is pretty dull. They chit-chat for a short amount of time, Sehun eyeing Joonmyun as if questioning why he's here at all. Joonmyun tends not to be around this part of campus at this hour. Usually it's just Tao and Sehun and Minseok, while Sehun regales the omegas about how great their kind is and other such nonsense, until Minseok smacks him, or pukes. Whichever comes first.

"I heard you had a fun weekend," Joonmyun says then to Sehun, and everything goes from dull to strained, very, very fast.

"What?!" The beta suddenly jerks, his entire posture turning to stone. It's alarming enough that Tao sits up as well, because he doesn't have a clue what Joonmyun is referring to. If Sehun did something dumb or stupid over the weekend, he didn't tell Tao about it. He didn't tell anyone about it.

"Uhm..." Joonmyun backtracks, genuinely shocked that his words caused such a commotion. 

"You were there?" Sehun accuses, and the alpha quickly throws up his hands to deny it.

"No, no, I wasn't. I just... have a friend who was at the party and..."

Sehun looks positively terrified. Whether it's because of something he's so embarrassed by he doesn't want to relive it, the fact that Joonmyun is even saying something, or that Tao is sitting there too, poor Tao has no idea. He's never seen his friend look this agitated though. Usually he's hard to fluster, but Joonmyun did it with just one question. 

The alpha doesn't miss the hint that Tao has no clue about anything, about whatever secret he almost spilled. He bites his lip in guilt and shuts up, forcing the conversation elsewhere, but Sehun continues to sit up tensely, actually nudging upon Tao's territory like somehow the omega is going to save him from Joonmyun. Whatever he's doing though confuses the alpha even more, Joonmyun is just kind enough not to mention it again. 

Eventually Baekhyun shows up, Jongin right behind him. It takes some rearranging but Tao ends up in the middle of Sehun and Jongin, and that's about as good as he can hope for in any situation where Minseok isn't involved. One beta and one fellow omega walling him in. He feels safe enough. Sehun, however, must not agree. He sits closer than he typically does, elbow in Tao's space, shoulders rubbing. What's more bizarre is how cutely affectionate he suddenly acts. He banters with Tao, calls both him and Jongin cute. From anyone else it would sound flirty but between Jongin's  _taken_ status and Tao's friend-zone, it's weirdly unnatural. 

Baekhyun tries to talk to him about random stuff and is given the cold shoulder; Joonmyun says something to him and is pointedly ignored. Both Yixing and Chanyeol drop in soon after and hover above the table edge because there isn't much room. But Sehun barely even greets Chanyeol, and says not one word to the alpha. He won't make eye contact with a single alpha, Tao suddenly realizes. He hasn't since Joonmyun first mentioned the 'party'. Then Kyungsoo squeezes in, another beta that gets a quick hello, but right after him, Jongdae shows up. 

At this point Tao is wondering how he'll treat this omega, if he'll do the same to him that he's done with Tao and Jongin. But Sehun isn't granted that much time. Not when Jongdae elbows Chanyeol out of the way, boasts his greetings across the booth and his eyes land on Sehun. 

"Oh! Hey, Sehun. Heard you had fun at that party last weekend. Totally smashed, is what I heard, and getting it on with Donghae, eh?"

The group of friends turn instantly silent, all eyes on Sehun as they chew over what Jongdae just implied. It wouldn't normally be such a big deal. It's still not all that huge a revelation. Sehun, untied and unattached, could  _get it on_  with anybody he wanted. There have already been tons of rumors about him before, although none have ever been really proven. Sehun for all his party-hard ways was relatively quiet when it came to his personal life. One of the little things Tao was grateful for: that he didn't have to hear stories constantly about Sehun's relations with the dozens of omegas who were constantly after him. And anyways, most of the rumors were generated by various omegas themselves, probably exaggerating Sehun's interest into something they only wished was more.

What silenced the table though was because of something different, something out of the norm for Sehun, not only that he'd been seen or caught by people who knew him, or that he'd evidently been too smashed to find a room. No, this was different, because Donghae was no omega. Donghae was an alpha, and for all intents and purposes, Sehun claimed he only liked omegas. He was very  _sure_  about such a thing, always denying that he'd ever just roll over for an alpha. 

So this was stunning news, but also from Tao's perspective, it clarified a few more things: That maybe Sehun didn't like Tao because he was Tao, but perhaps Sehun didn't like Tao because he was only an omega-

"Will... you excuse me, please," Sehun pleads suddenly in a hushed whisper. Everyone, shocked by this pronouncement, quickly moves to let him out. Without another word he gathers his stuff and storms out of the room, and once he is out of earshot everyone begins speaking again.

"What? He likes alphas? Who actually saw this?" asks Baekhyun curiously.

"Uhm, I did." Jongdae puts up his hand.

"Saw, with your own two eyes?" Chanyeol asks.

"My friend kind of did," Joonmyun squeaks.

"I thought he only liked omegas?" Jongin inputs. "He only ever talks about them..."

"Yeah, but have you noticed how whenever he does, it's like...  _Oh-ho, look at me. I like omegas!_ " Baekhyun quips. 

Jongdae bounces up and down. "You think that was only a ruse?"

"Can't be," says Chanyeol.

"How are you so positive it can't be?" 

"Uhm, hello, earth-to-Chanyeol," says Baekhyun. "He just ran out because somebody here - not to name any names,  _Jongdae_  - spilled the beans about him and an alpha. I think the omega thing was only a ruse, because why else would he get so embarrassed, huh?"

Only Tao doesn't look upset. Confused maybe, because while everyone else harasses Jongdae for embarrassing the hell out of Sehun like that, the facts remain that Tao knew something wasn't right with Sehun, and only now does it make sense. It means, for one, that Tao is doubly shit-out-of-luck, but also that Sehun is out there right now wandering around hurt and upset. Everything he put up to hide his preferences came crashing down so easily, meanwhile all of his friends sit around talking about him.

"Alright then. So we've concluded he likes the alphas. What's wrong with that? Lots of betas do. Look at Chanyeol here." Jongdae frowns carelessly.

"Thanks, Jongdae," Chanyeol concludes sarcastically. However, his boyfriend Yixing is starting to frown.

"It's different though. Has to be, especially for him if he's always pretended otherwise. Even for me to say I don't like omegas is weird to some people. But for Sehun..." Yixing trails off as all of them rethink the events again. Tao starts slowly repacking his belongings so he can sneak out. 

Meanwhile, the last person to speak, Kyungsoo, finally gives up his silence and proceeds to grimace in his boyfriend's direction. Jongdae actually flinches. 

"Well, good job anyways, Jongdae, you're a first rate ass." Moaning under his breath he starts threatening to break up with him, and Jongdae is distracted into finally apologizing. 

"Don't apologize to me, you idiot! What are you going to say to Sehun? That should be your priority."

Tao, however, ignores them all and slips away, dashing towards the place where Sehun was last seen exiting. Who knows what his chances are now. Right now though probably, Sehun just needs a friend.

 


	8. [6.1] Krisho

Joonmyun doesn't get back to his apartment until late in the evening. It's been a long day, it was an even longer week, but now his assignments are done, and his essay is turned in. He calculates maybe another week and a half of vaguely stress-less living. At least when it comes to university life. Outside the classroom may be another story, but he never knows how that will turn out. It's a day by day sort of thing, really.

He kicks off his shoes in the doorway, right next to another pair of much larger sneakers. There's also a sweatshirt on the floor that doesn't belong to him. It's longer, more stretched out, and not entirely filthy yet, so he picks it up to hang on the nearest hall closet doorknob and goes about his business. The kitchen is a mess, traces of a cooked meal and dishes hastily stuffed into the sink. 

"Kris?" he calls out, not angrily. He just wants to know where his boyfriend has crashed this time.

It takes several seconds to get a response. "Back here!" Kris yells, whines more like. He sounds exhausted and Joonmyun already feels sorry for him. He finds the man sprawled out on their bed on his back, legs like the bottom part of an ex, and a pillow covering most of his face. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Joonmyun inquires, padding over towards him. 

"Nothing's wrong. I just feel sick."

"Silly. That means something's wrong. Want something? Did you actually eat or-"

"I threw it all up. It sucked." 

Joonmyun crawls onto the bed smiling nevertheless, and gently he pries the pillow out from between Kris' fingers to reveal his sweaty, pouting face. "Can I do something to make you feel better?" He leans down and kisses his brow, chuckling when Kris frowns and tries to squirm away.

"No."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure," Kris grunts. He lays one hand across his chest, pulling at the collar of his shirt like he's suffocating, the other hand over his stomach. "Actually, I'm thirsty. Can I get some water? No, maybe tea? No, wait. How was your day?"

Joonmyun laughs, already backing off the bed. "It was okay. Let me go make you some tea first, and then I'll tell you all about it. Loads of drama today, it was actually interesting."

"Okay, fine. Come back soon though, please?"

"What is this  _come back soon_  nonsense?" Joonmyun chides him with a little grin. "I'm going to the kitchen. I'm not running out on you."

It probably isn't the best thing to say though. Kris is beyond reacting to things anymore, but he still has feelings. Joonmyun should really know better by this point, already well atuned to how Kris closes up emotionally for the littlest things, or for jokes like this. Peering down at him now, Joonmyun recognizes the beginnings of a hurt scowl. He quickly apologizes, then bends over to kiss him lightly once more, right on his pouting lips. 

 

 

 

 

They haven't been dating for long. Barely two months, although they've known each other for much longer. Kris is a beta. They met in their first year of college, were classmates for several semesters, friends for several more. No one knows that they are together though. Part of that is Kris' suggestion. He's too afraid of Joonmyun's friends knowing, too afraid of being judged, too afraid that Joonmyun will be judged. Joonmyun abides by it because that's what Kris wants, and right now Kris' happiness is extremely important to him.

"Will you quit acting so jittery? You're drawing more attention than not," Joonmyun whispers, as Kris begins unbuttoning his jacket and buttoning it again. Nothing Kris does actually irritates him. He's more worried that Kris is going to irritate himself, and that's never pretty. Not in his condition.

Kris actually grumbles. "Your fault for making me come out like this. This was a horrible idea."

"It's not. Just relax."

"Easier for you to say."

A voice in the distance suddenly shouts out. Joonmyun panics a bit because it sounds like his name. 

"Oh, shit. See?" Kris instantly starts to complain.

"Calm down. Act normal," Joonmyun hushes him, or at least attempts to. It's no good though because in no time they spot Luhan and Minseok heading their way. Kris' feet turn rooted to the ground, jaw hanging open in fear, eyes wide open. 

Joonmyun!" calls the other alpha when they get closer. Luhan is a whole lot happier these days, Joonmyun is glad to see. Ever since he and Minseok became officially together. 

Kris, however, is not pleased to see them. "They're going to know. They're going to find out," he mumbles under his breath. Secretly, Joonmyun is a little ready for others to find out. In a world where scents are everything, and nothing is secret, he is. He and Kris are, and the alpha side of Joonmyun doesn't like this, not one little bit. It's completely not fair that people always add the word  _unattached_  next to his name whenever they think of him. For all outward purposes, Joonmyun is single, and Kris may as well not exist.

"Hey, Luhan. What's up? Minseok. Hello."

The pair converge upon them arm-in-arm, smiling and looking all around jolly. Kind of like how Joonmyun wants to be.

"Just between classes. How about you? And... your friend?" Luhan asks curiously, almost too curiously. His nose twitches, but not as much as Minseok's. Joonmyun smiles pleasantly, because of course an omega would be able to tell. 

"This is my friend Kris. Kris, this is Luhan, Minseok."

Luhan holds out a hand cautiously, and Joonmyun doesn't blame him in the slightest. Kris looks ready to bite off the alpha's hand, although he does manage to take the offered hand and greet him properly. As he withdraws, a hint of comprehension dawns upon Luhan's face.

Joonmyun?" says Minseok in a telling voice, eyes swaying evenly between them both. 

Joonmyun smiles pleasantly, like he has no idea what Minseok is about to ask. Beside him Kris is scowling outright, aware that the secret is out. He moans audibly, and Joonmyun puts an arm around his lower back.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," says Luhan unhelpfully. "You know, it's kind of weird because... you... don't smell like each other. At all?"

Minseok elbows him painfully, but he's paying no attention to his alpha. Instead, his eyes are drawn to where Kris' hands fidget again with his jacket buttons and he asks, "How far along are you?"

"What?" Kris suddenly squeaks. 

"You're pregnant of course, aren't you?" Minseok smiles, obviously delighted even if Kris is not. 

"I'm... I'm..."

"He's fourteen weeks," Joonmyun answers for him instead, proudly reciting the number like it's his business to know. Kris is having a baby, and Joonmyun is going to be the father.

"But you don't smell like each other? How is that even possible?" Again Luhan is incredibly unhelpful, and it's clear to everyone but himself that he should probably just keep his mouth shut. Kris is almost fuming, Joonmyun is worried, Minseok looks upset on behalf of Luhan's lack of tact. 

"It's... it's actually a long story," Joonmyun begins to explain, then thinks better about it. "If you don't mind though, we're going to get something to eat and then we have an appointment to make. If you'll excuse us? I'll tell you all about it later. Yes, byebye."

 

 

 

 

He almost never manages to calm Kris down. The beta is agitated for most of their meal, and then throughout the doctor's appointment, wherein more awkward questions are asked and Joonmyun has to answer every last one of them honestly. Yes, this is his boyfriend. Fourteen weeks pregnant. No, Joonmyun is not technically the father. Or at least he wasn't at conception. He is now though, and that's the most important thing, the fact he wants everyone to take home including and most specifically Kris.

Betas don't conceive easily. It's usually very hard and somewhat of a rarity if one isn't especially trying with an alpha mate. Yet that doesn't mean it can't happen on its own, accidentally. Like it did to Kris. A brief flirtation with an alpha who stayed around for a couple weeks and then meandered off, completely ignorant of what he left behind. 

The reason Kris doesn't smell like Joonmyun, or Joonmyun like Kris, is because he can't mark him while the beta is pregnant. If he could, he would. Joonmyun would claim Kris and the baby one hundred percent and forever. Take them and protect them always because that's what he wanted to do anyways, long before Kris even turned to him with a romantic eye. 

It started out as an offer of support. Support became care; care, affection; then affection morphed into love, and Joonmyun was never so happy than the day he realized Kris returned all those feelings and more. In the eyes of the world, theirs is an unsteady relationship, bound by nothing more than words and promises. Yet Joonmyun knows it's more than that, will be more than that, just as soon as they can claim each other. 

"I don't think he even knows I'm here yet," Joonmyun complains dramatically to the very tiny baby bump underneath Kris' pulled up shirt. The nurse has left them alone for a minute before they do the ultrasound. 

"He will. Don't worry. Just wait until he's born, and then he'll know." Kris tries to soothe him, a rare reversal of temperament. It makes Joonmyun laugh, and he stands up, no longer mopey, but just happy when Kris' large hand wraps around his own. A fetus would generally already be aware of both his parents, even the one not carrying him, long before being born. It's a bond Joonmyun doesn't have and won't have until the baby is placed in his arms. He just wishes he didn't have to wait that long.

"Can't I introduce you to some of my friends now, please?" Joonmyun says instead.

Kris groans, remembering their encounter earlier. "Suppose so, since those guys probably told everyone already. Joonmyun, are you sure you don't mind?"

"Why would I mind? You're mine, and the baby is mine, and that's all they need to hear."

"But they're going to laugh at you! They'll say you can only find a knocked up boyfriend like me, and-"

"They're not going to say that. If anything they'll probably try to pounce you because you're so cute, and then I'll have a whole different sort of troubles keeping other scents from clinging to you. Let me worry about that part later."

It's adorable really, how Kris almost doesn't care that he's the one who would normally feel ashamed. Accidental beta pregnancy would be enough to turn some peoples' heads if they were judgmental enough, but instead he worries about Joonmyun's so-called-alpha pride. 

"If you're sure...?"

"I'm sure," says Joonmyun, kissing him again before the nurse comes back in. He wants to see what his baby looks like already.

 


	9. [5.2] Taohun

"Sehun?"

Tao pokes his head hesitantly into the classroom he's followed Sehun into. The beta is already hunched over a desk by a window, head buried in his arms. He's ignoring him, although he must know Tao is here. If he can't tell by Tao's soft footsteps and whispers, then surely by his smell. Maybe they'll never be linked together like that - romantically - and a part of Tao's heart dies at just that reminder: that Sehun doesn't like omegas like him. They are, however, friends. Good friends at that. Their scents are meshed lightly by that achievement alone.

"Sehun?" Tao tries again. The beta's shoulder twitches under the light pressure of Tao's palm, but he doesn't throw him off, and that's hopeful.

Tao doesn't say anything, can't even imagine the embarrassment Sehun must feel, that he's making himself feel. His friend was always a bit closed-off and private, but Tao never knew Sehun had taken it this far, hiding his preference. Hiding his attraction to alphas.

A few minutes tick by in the empty unlit room. Illuminated only by the afternoon sun filtering through the trees outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Sehun continues to ignore him, head hidden and breathing softly. 

Tao takes his hand away and sits beside him, one desk seat away. All the words he wants say get stuck in throat. Most of them pertain to himself anyway. Unspoken, final rejection. His one-side unrequited love. The hopes and dreams he's harbored for years that maybe one day, Sehun will see him as a lover, as a possible mate, and not just a friend. All of that gone now. Wiped away by a few careless words. Tao has a hard time even swallowing his own selfish despair. Now is not the time to provoke his beta friend into confirming why or why not. Is it all omegas he doesn't like? Is it Tao? Does he just like alphas, or alpha knots?

He almost dozes, wrestling with himself, waiting for Sehun to say something, do anything. Because his friend right now is more important than himself. All the beta's insecurities which have left him open, raw, and vulnerable.

"I got a C on my chem test," Tao says after another few minutes, searching for something familiar. "Barely passed, but at least that's over with." He sits back in his chair and crosses his arms, cooly looking up at the ceiling, out the window.

"Minseok said he'd take me out to celebrate at the end of the year, if I don't fail the class entirely."

No response still, although Sehun seems to shift a bit. Tao listens for his breath, any sign really that Sehun is listening.

"Probably won't though. He's so busy being with Luhan now. It would be cute you know, if they'd just spend a little more time being social with the rest of us. I barely even see Minseok anymore because-"

Too late, Tao catches the bitterness in his voice, the accusation that  _one_ friend has halfway abandoned him already...

"I mean, not that I'm upset-"

Sehun sits up though, rubbing his eyes, and Tao stills in expectation, biting his own lip because he doesn't want to insinuate that Sehun's all he has left. Even if it's kind of true. He wonders if he'll make a good third-wheel friend, hanging out with Sehun and whatever alpha boyfriend he may get in the future, if he doesn't have one already, officially. Even that thought sends a chill through Tao's bones, remembering how he doesn't like them,  _alphas_. How nervous he gets. How unfortunate it'll be if his only remaining friend decides to date one too, spending all his time with one that it'll essentially mean the death of his and Sehun's friendship. His stomach almost revolts just thinking about it.

He realizes then that Sehun is looking at him, softly, concerned. As if he too is wrestling with something and doesn't know how to say it.

"Tao..." Sehun's first words are laced bittersweet. "Tao, I'm still... we're friends, right? Best friends."

Tao resists the urge to squeeze his eyes shut, forcing himself to meet Sehun's eyes while nodding.  _Yes, friends. Only the best of friends._

"I didn't mean to hide anything from you... I know how uncomfortable you are with alphas. I'm sorry."

"Is that why?" Tao whispers. "You never told me because I...?"

"Because I worried it would frighten you away. Alphas in general, I know how you feel about them."

_I like them even less, now that I know,_ Tao thinks bitterly to himself. Out loud he just gapes at his friend. His friend who surely knows that he likes him. Tao likes Sehun, and as a beta it would be impossible not to know this. 

"You mean, how I feel about alphas, and you...?" Tao says it in words anyways, already biting back his aching disappointment. 

And Sehun stares at him guiltily, confirming everything in Tao's mind. If his hormones were working properly now, he would probably be fleeing the room already. Rejection and hurt, and lies all piled onto one. Sehun being noble, Sehun pretending he doesn't know, Sehun shielding him - his best friend - because he doesn't want to ruin what they have.

How similar they both are, Tao suddenly realizes. Going on with their lives ignoring all the important bits, like how Tao craved for Sehun during each of his heats, the beta not even noticing he had them. Showing up afterwards with extra hydrating liquids, chatter and gossip on his lips about whatever Tao may have missed. Afterwards spending time together going out and shopping, eating, and whenever Tao hangs out with Minseok instead, Sehun doesn't interfere or call favorites, knowing the two omegas have things they like the bond over while the beta... goes out... meeting alphas no doubt.

If his hormones were working properly, Tao wouldn't be able to forgive this, now that he knows. But their friendship is too deep, too strong. He cares too much for Sehun, and the other vice versa just as much.

"Nothing... has to change," Tao tells him resolutely. "You're still my best friend. Who you like doesn't change that."  _Even if it's not me_ , his eyes additionally say.

"Thank you." Sehun smiles even as he hangs his head, and Tao has the overwhelming urge to hug him.

"Can I... can we..." he falters, already scooting closer in his chair.

Sehun looks up confused. "Hmm?"

"I just want to hug you. Can I? Please?"

And the beta allows it, swallowing Tao in his arms as the omega sinks towards him, relief and worry and self-pity all rolled into one. "Even if... even if you don't like me as an omega, I am still your friend, okay? I support you. Just, don't stop being my friend okay?" Tao pleads into the crook of Sehun's neck, inhaling one good whiff of natural beta scent, and only the tiniest hint of pheromones when Sehun hugs him tighter. Their knees knock awkwardly against each other from where they sit, torsos twisted, a dozen obstacles between them and none of it matters right now.

"I won't. I won't ever." Sehun scoots further off his chair too, pulling Tao into more of a hug, cozy, like they always do, as friends.

 


	10. [3.2] Chensoo

There are daily limits that Kyungsoo has to set up for himself. How long he needs to -  _has to_  - study for, how many snacks should he be allowed to eat without spoiling his appetite. If naps are involved, then how many hours, if any, should he snooze. All of those are normal occurrences he's developed and practiced for years. Dating Jongdae though has added a few more. For instance, how much stupidity can he handle in a day before he needs to smack his omega boyfriend over the head to show that he disapproves?

Kind of about like now.

"Ow! What's that for?" Jongdae hisses before throwing a pouty face. He scratches the spot on his head where Kyungsoo barely even touched him, dramatically wounded.

"It's in case you start to act like a douche later on. Consider this a warning," Kyungsoo snarls, not even smiling because this is actually kind of serious.

"For later on? Why? For what?"

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. "A warning to watch your mouth when we meet up with Joonmyun and Kris later on, okay?"

Jongdae acts like he seriously doesn't know what this is about, an act that fails to persuade Kyungsoo.

"Should I remind you?" Kyungsoo coos deceptively sweet. "I showed you a picture of Kris' ultrasound, and you said, 'Eww what is that?'"

Jongdae frowns, halfway smiling. "I fail to see how this translates into you hitting me before we've even met them."

"It's in case you feel the urge to repeat your sentiments."

Jongdae holds his tongue, although his eyes wag suspiciously, and his grin holds a posture that Kyungsoo knows means no end of trouble. Really, he doesn't know why he set himself up like this. Having a crush on an annoying-as-hell omega is one thing, but actually dating the guy now, that's another issue entirely. Jongdae has a big mouth, although it's rather adorable, and a fiery playful temper, which aids them greatly in bed. He's never dull, always full of life, and a great cuddler when his energy wears out. His kisses are sinful, and most of the time he's silent on the fact that Kyungsoo doesn't have a knot - most of the time.

It all makes up for itself eventually though, because he's a dream to have and be around, and he actually really adores Kyungsoo back, even if he shows it in odd ways. Like with too much PDA when Chanyeol, Kyungsoo's roommate and Jongdae's best friend, is acting too thick to know he's supposed to leave the room right now. They haven't been dating long enough for Kyungsoo to find out what Jongdae is like during heat, but all in good time. Kyungsoo's been working out lately, keep up his strength. He doesn't want to pull a Baekhyun after all and injure himself.

All in all. Kyungsoo's living the life. He still has his limits though, and he swears Jongdae likes to purposefully push them. The 'Eww what is that?' moment is just the latest in a series of mischievous comments. And Kyungsoo will not have his boyfriend embarrassing either himself or Kyungsoo by saying such things out loud. By all accounts, and so far only Luhan and Minseok can confirm this, Joonmyun's pregnant boyfriend is  _sensitive_.

"His name's Kris, right?" Jongdae asks, now flipping onto his back on Kyungsoo's bed, textbooks laying forgotten by his hip.

"Yes. And he's seven months pregnant, so don't introduce yourself and then call him fat, okay?"

Jongdae snorts, not even mindful that Kyungsoo is being very serious here.

"I won't call him fat, geez." Kyungsoo is halfway into a sigh when Jongdae continues, "But I'll probably want to pat his tummy. Do you think that would be okay or should I ask permission first?"

He roars like this is hilariously funny, ducking to avoid another not-hard blow from Kyungsoo's hand across his head.

"Not even that! You better not! Don't call him fat, don't pat his tummy. In fact, don't even  _look_  at his tummy!"

"But I already did! You gave me a picture of _inside_  his tummy, so how can I  _not_ check it out now when we meet in person, huh? Why, Soo? Is it because it would make you jealous?" Jongdae is still laughing, convulsing against the mattress when Kyungsoo actually blushes red. He can feel his cheeks heating up, and that's never a good sign. In fact it's a beacon for Jongdae to tease him back, and his boyfriend already knows that Kyungsoo's beta status is point of contention, to him personally if to no one else. How many alpha knots has Kyungsoo fought metaphorically against to win Jongdae's affections, and now here goes his boyfriend teasing him about touching another beta. Not even an alpha, but a beta! A pregnant one too! How much lower can Kyungsoo's self esteem even get? He tries to will aside his blushes before Jongdae can act upon them, knowing it's a lost cause. Most of the time he fails, and when that happens, there is no end to Jongdae's own brand of torture. 

Too late, because Jongdae has him flipped over on his back in no time, the omega actually crawling up his body to inspect Kyungsoo's flushed expression. His eyes glitter, smile devilish, supporting himself up by the elbows around Kyungsoo's admittedly tiny frame, but just when Kyungsoo thinks the taunts will start to flow, Jongdae drops his smile and kisses him deeply.

Kyungsoo's lips unfold before his brain even has time to process. Opening up as Jongdae sinks fully onto his chest, teasing his lips with his tongue without rush or hurry or in fact, any sign that this is a game.

They only said they loved each other the first time one month ago, hesitantly testing what the other really thought. Was it just a fling, or was it something more. Since then, they'd used the words sparingly, but the actions less so. Moments like these, not entirely rare, where only their heartbeats spoke, drawing from the other's breaths and moans.

Jongdae pulls apart slowly, Kyungsoo's lips reluctantly letting him go. The omega doesn't speak though as he falls to one side, drawn up close next to the beta with his chin resting on Kyungsoo's shoulder.

What were they talking about before this? Oh yes. "You better not make fun of him, that's all I'm saying," Kyungsoo whispers, waiting for his boyfriend to rise to the bait.

Instead, Jongdae responds softly. "I won't. I'll be nice, respectful."

Kyungsoo hums, surprised but happy. Until Jongdae's mouth opens again, and this time Kyungsoo jolts like somebody dropped him off the top of a twenty-story tower.

"Besides, one day it might be you poking my tummy, and when that happens, you'll probably never let me forget this day."

 _When_ , and not  _if_. Jongdae said  _when_ , and  _one day_.

Kyungsoo thinks maybe the feeling of being dropped off the top of a tower isn't a bad sensation to have. Rather thrilling actually, if he should be completely honest.

 


	11. [1.2] Kaibaek

Jongin yawns long and loud. If it annoys Baekhyun at all, his boyfriend - current mate - makes no sign of it. It's super early in the day for Jongin. Almost noon, and it's a Saturday which means really, truly, Jongin ought to be in bed still snuggled up beneath ten blankets and preferably with Baekhyun on top. Instead, here they are pushing open the glass door of the clinic, and the little bell ringing over the doorway is like a chime signaling Jongin that he should go home and return to bed. He slumps over Baekhyun's shoulder anyway as the alpha directs him through the doorway and down the hallway until they find the right door for the reception center. Truth be told, Jongin never thought he'd find a partner as caring and funny and all-around perfect as Baekhyun. Supposedly, alphas like him don't exist. And yet here Baekhyun is, an arm around his waist as he lets Jongin nuzzle into him, another hand on his head as he fuzzes up Jongin's hair, chuckling humorously at his sleep-filled eyes.

"Man, you're a bum today." He smiles indulgently.

Jongin doesn't respond past a short little hum of acknowledgement, and Baekhyun doesn't bother him again. They stand in line at the counter, a few other omegas ahead of them chatting with the receptionist or writing their down their names on the sign-in sheet. Jongin gets sleepier and sleepier with each step as they get closer in line. He loses his balance once and almost topples over, except that Baekhyun is already prepared for this eventuality. He usually is. He may be smaller than his omega, but Baekhyun - now that he's been making efforts to get himself fit and stay that way - has more than enough muscle to shoulder Jongin's weight. After five months of dating, he's more than well-used to it now.

"Maybe we're in line for the wrong clinic," he says, patting Jongin's hair again. Jongin yawns as Baekhyun continues, saying, "I'm starting to think you should be seen for narcolepsy instead."

Jongin hums again, smiling all the while.

"Not... narcoleptic. Just... sleepy..."

Baekhyun huffs, but he laughs. And anyways, it's their turn finally to step up to the counter. Baekhyun writes Jongin's name down for him, still shouldering the omega on one side as he checks off the date, entry time, name, Jongin's birthdate, rank ID and number, and then the reason they're here for a visit:  _contraceptives._

It's a prescription that's relatively easy to get. Any omega or beta of childbearing age can walk in and get one, and while it doesn't stall an omega's heat, it does often make them a tiny more manageable, an omega less hormonal, and also, for the duration of that heat, unable to conceive. 

Jongin loves Baekhyun and he's pretty sure Baekhyun loves him, but Jongin's next heat is a few weeks away, and they're way too young to be thinking of settling down and having kids. On the other hand, in no way is Jongin going to do that alone without Baekhyun as his alpha, and damn, he may love being knotted, but those things are  _virile!_

It's sweet, really, how Baekhyun is going with him. Jongin appreciates it, because clinics like these make him embarrassed, even if it's standard part of every omega's life. They settle down into a two-seater standard edition, cheap leather couch, Jongin's head falling immediately back onto Baekhyun's shoulder. His alpha plays with his phone. Jongin is too lazy to get his out. His mind is also very hazy because the whole place smells so clean, too clean. Antiseptic, pheromone-blocking, filtered clean. And there are so many omegas and betas that they almost cover up Baekhyun's weak scent, and that makes him uneasy. 

Ten minutes later the clinic door beside the desk opens up and a beta nurse with a clipboard in her hand scans the room, calling out, "Jongin? Kim Jongin?" 

Baekhyun stands up first, dragging Jongin with him as they shuffle across the room, finally dislodged from each as the nurse eyes them over. She focuses in on Baekhyun with a soft little smile, almost ignoring Jongin, and the omega can't figure out why for half a second. 

Not until the nurse opens her mouth and begs for Baekhyun to come through, with a polite, "Hello, Jongin? Please come this way. And what can we do for you today?"

The  _alpha_ stops in his tracks, jaw falling open, eyes blinking wildly and for another second the nurse has no idea what she's done wrong. 

Jongin immediately cringes in his head. 

There's a reason he thinks Baekhyun is the best partner in the world for him, because for all that Jongin likes alphas and their knots, he can't stand the pushy, demonstrative attitude that so many alphas have. He's a sweet little omega, and he likes to be coddled sweetly. And Baekhyun is just the kind of alpha that won't push him around while still acting protective. He's possessive, yes, but not overly so, to the point that he rarely uses his pheromones to get his way, either with Jongin or against any other individual who gets close to Jongin. The exception is rare, and on those days Jongin thinks Baekhyun is especially cute, kind of like a porcupine who all of a sudden perceives there is a threat. 

He does this now, bristling up due to the unintended ego-bruising slight, and in Jongin's mind he can almost see the invisible wave of scent that Baekhyun gives off. Like a time-induced fragrance spray activating in little, short-wave puffs.

_Puffs!_  come the alpha pheromones, and the nurse instantly realizes her mistake. Her face falls, an apology around forming upon her lips, Baekhyun's stank-face slipping up into a full-out snarl. 

"I'm sorry,  _I'm_  Jongin," the omega immediately steps up, putting himself between his alpha and the nurse, hoping that is enough. Behind his back he weaves his hand through Baekhyun's fingers, begging him to not get mad. Fortunately, it doesn't take much to appease Baekhyun. He's happy whenever Jongin touches him, however Jongin touches him, but he doesn't think Baekhyun's pride is going to get over this all that soon. Maybe that's a good thing though, if Baekhyun feels later that maybe he should prove it,  _in bed._


	12. [6.2] Krisho

The waiting around part is agonizing, of course. Joonmyun's heard it mentioned so many times, so he doesn't know why it particularly surprises him, now that he finds himself in exactly the same position. He'd paced around the hospital room so many times bumping elbows with the doctors and nurses and staff that he was in-veritably kicked out. Something about his pheromones being so out of control - even compared to the level considered normal for expecting dads - that the doctors could not concentrate and one nurse almost fainted when Joonmyun growled at her for touching his boyfriend, Kris. His mate. His soon-to-be-mate and child.

He can't wait. He absolutely cannot wait. He paces up and down the hallways now, barking at anybody who gets in his way. It takes another alpha doctor to persuade him not to fight with a poor beta in doorway who is only there to check on Kris' vital signs.

"In a minute. Soon. Soon. We'll let you go in there soon!" they keep telling him, but soon never comes, or at least it feels like it won't.

He's only vaguely aware of how birth works in male betas. It's possible for the body to open up and adjust, but it's very hard. They'd opted for a C-section because it would be safer for Kris. Fewer complications, an orderly procedure, controlled birth for a body that's only halfway suited for the pregnant life. 

However Kris brings forth his -  _their_  - baby though, Joonmyun just wants them to be happy. Happy and healthy, and he really wants all that now. As in,  _right now._

Luhan comes by, and so does Yixing. They'd left their mates at home, probably knowing that Joonmyun was volatile and a danger to everybody. It takes the two of them to muscle him into sitting down on a bench outside the door as the time ticks down, and to keep him there. Luhan rubs his arm, and Yixing distracts him with mindless talk.

About an hour later though, they finally invite him in. He has to leave his friends at the door, but a beta nurse insides helps him to scrub up so that he can sit by Kris' side during the operation, now that the obstetrician is ready. The labor and delivery room has been wiped oddly clean of scents. Even Kris smells only halfway familiar to him as he makes his way to his mate's side. The lower half of his body has been numbed by anesthesia, but Kris is awake, conscious, ready to see his baby, and Joonmyun holding him or her especially.

"I'm... scared," Kris admits, holding tightly to Joonmyun's hand.

He won't admit it, but he is too. So many things could happen, both during the procedure and afterwards. Afterwards is almost scarier. He didn't plan to become a dad so young. He didn't plan on getting a lifetime mate so young. Kris isn't the partner he dreamed of as a child, and he's probably not Kris' ideal either. At least, they weren't once upon a time.

They are now though, and that's all that matters. They're about to have a baby, and even if it isn't Joonmyun's biological child, in less than an hour the baby won't know that he doesn't belong to both Kris and Joonmyun equally.

"This is going to be wonderful," he tells Kris, hand soothing the bangs of his mate's forehead, soothing out the wrinkles in his forehead. A tiny screen over his chest blocks out what's happening over his belly.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Kris whispers, worried. "Alpha, beta, or omega?"

"Any or all of the above." Joonmyun leans over and presses a kiss to Kris' newly-cleared-of-bangs temple.

Kris' breath hitches. "You know you can still back out now, right?"

Joonmyun leans back, holding in his gasp. This isn't the first time they've had this conversation. Kris has been giving him so many outs that for a while he almost considered that Kris didn't want him around period. Each time though he wormed around the conversation, prying and prodding to affirm that Kris really loved him, that he wanted him, and that nothing else would do.

"Not going to happen, love."

The smile on his mate's face is enough. Relief and assurance, blinding love and trust. It means everything to Joonmyun, and more.

They lose track of time after that, hands holding fast, eyes blazing against the other's, trading smiles and small talk and promises about their future. In almost no time at all, a nurse is speaking to them, lowering the surgical screen just enough for Joonmyun to see finally the next most important creature of his life.

"It's a girl!"

They won't know for a few months what she'll be, but none of that matters. Kris' eyes alight in joy, Joonmyun can hardly breathe. Their girl is so tiny, red-skinned and squabbling as they examine her and wrap her up, and it's almost impossible to imagine that tiny little bundle as belonging now to them, but she does. She will forever.

"Who wants to hold her first?" the nurse asks, bringing her over.

Kris' arms twitch, but he looks at his mate instead. "Joonmyun," he says softly. "Give her to her daddy first, please. He's wanted see what she looks like for so long now."

 


	13. [5.3] Taohun

The church is easily the most beautiful thing Sehun has seen in a long time. He won't admit it, but he feels rather in awe. Yellow and white rose arrangements mark the end of every other pew and the altar is stunning, all the normal furniture and the podium removed. In its place are more flowers in a semi-circle formation, a rug and a stranger in a robe who Sehun guesses is there to perform the ceremony. Luhan's family has taken charge of most of this event, and Sehun only knows through word of mouth - Tao via Minseok - that it was Luhan's mother and sisters who decorated the hall. Luhan's mother likes yellow. Minseok likes red, but he also likes Luhan, and between the two grooms, there's already been enough fighting over the nit-picky details that neither one of them has gotten involved. You wouldn't think they even cared they were getting married officially. They are already mates, and there's already no way a person couldn't look at them see taken all over their persons. Their scents are combined, their hearts are one. So it's cute, in Sehun's estimation, that they still want to go through this whole ordeal. He saw them not half an hour ago fussing over each other's suits and tuxes, before the pheromones nearly overpowered him and he had to back out. 

Somewhere on the left side of the pews is where he left his program. He shuffles across the aisle, scoots behind a set of elderly alphas talking about the good old days when there was no need for such extravagant ceremonies, when alphas just claimed their mates and that was that. Sehun wonders if they also bothered to ask if their mate wanted to be theirs before making it happen. A lot has changed even in just a few generations. 

He bumps past a few children rushing around in their prettiest clothes, nods at a female he knows as one of Minseok's cousins, her hand wrapped tightly to another woman's hand. Both are betas, they smell like each other, and both are cowering almost imperceptibly as they huddle way from the group of gossiping, bickering old alphas. Sehun starts to say something, thinking he can at least make conversation to put them at ease, but then a baby starts to wail and his attention is turned. 

Kris, tall, blushing and embarrassed, tries to shush the child. He succeeds only in exciting the baby girl further, and Sehun chuckles. The beta's free-spirited, smiling alpha mate is nowhere to be seen, probably another factor in Kris' lack of social confidence. 

"Hello," Sehun says. He sits down in the pew directly behind Kris, who startles.

"H-Hi... Sehun."

"How's Fanfan?" He indicates the baby who's stopped gurgling long enough to stare at Sehun, her tiny eyes suddenly wide open and curious.

"She's... fussy today." Kris frowns. "Missed her nap."

"Wow, she's gotten so big," Sehun muses. "How old is she? Close enough to showing, right?"

 _Showing,_  when a child first indicates what his or her identification will be. Normally it happens between ten and fifteen months. Sehun was notoriously late to his, only showing around sixteen months when his parents woke up and suddenly sniffed beta. 

"She's a year now so... any time, yeah." 

Fanfan decides she likes him and smiles brightly. If she's this old, then Sehun expects they'll get an invite in the mail rather soon. Joonmyun is big on sharing his family to everyone he knows as often as possible. Fanfan's showing celebration will likely be more lavish than Minseok and Luhan's wedding and probably equal to the ceremony Joonmyun and Kris had for themselves just eight months ago. 

Sehun sighs, thinking how busy his life is already and he's not even out of school yet. His friends weren't supposed to find their permanent mates and settle down so quickly. He's barely twenty, and every other month now he's attending some big event or another, and at almost every occasion his friends poke and prod him like's he's the weird one for not bringing a proper date. Twenty years old, and already the butt of just about everyone's jokes. It's not his fault he hasn't found a mate. He's tried, but it's also just so awkward. Every alpha he's dated, first secretly and then not-so-secretly, has just not turned out to be the one, or they had no interest in staying in a longterm relationship with a beta. To a few, Sehun is just the guy they flirted and bedded on their way to seeking out a nice, pretty omega. Not all of them of course. Donghae was a really perfect alpha who Sehun could see himself being with a long while, and then Donghae had to drop out of school and move across the country to take care of a sick grandparent. That had been as close to a mate as Sehun had had.

Without Tao to attend all these functions with him, Sehun would not have lasted. Tao, omega, his best friend. Or perhaps he should restate that: Tao, his best friend, omega. Sehun was aware of the stress he put Tao through, Tao, who liked him so much, and Sehun who could not reciprocate it. 

"Have you seen Tao?" he asks Kris, looking around for the friend he once almost lost for good.

Kris shakes his head, most of his attention already back on Fanfan who he bounces lightly on his knee. Sehun glances around but apart from Chanyeol, Yixing, Jongdae and Kyungsoo who are huddled two rows behind him, he sees no other familiar faces. 

His phone buzzes a few minutes later. Sehun sighs, relieved. 

 _Where are you-_ he starts to text, before actually reading Tao's message.

_Help. I'm in the bathroom!_

"What are you..." he says aloud and then stops. Kris looks back at him curiously, but Sehun apologizes and stands up. He follows the signs to the bathroom, enters, and sees no one. "Tao?" he calls.

"I'm in here," comes Tao's voice from inside a stall.

Sehun clears his throat. "Uhm, what's the matter?"

He hears Tao shuffling around, toilet seat groaning. Tao doesn't answer so Sehun asks again.

It takes a moment, but finally he hears his friend suddenly whine and probably blush but, "I uhh... didn't bring... something."

Sehun gapes at the closed door. "You didn't bring... what?"

A few more moments and some mumbling. "An extra... pad? Please, can you go ask someone for one? Please?" 

He doesn't have to see his face to know that Tao is probably mortified that he has to ask. It's not something they ever talk about. Betas barely ever suffer the symptoms so that it's noticeable, but omegas are another thing altogether. He also knows that Tao hates to talk about it on top of it being taboo. 

"I... uh... yeah. I'll go... ask around."

"Just find an omega. Most will carry something with them."

"Male or female?" Sehun asks. He literally doesn't know if it makes a difference, but he's already starting to sweat thinking he might have to ask! 

"Doesn't matter, just... you know... hurry. Else I might miss the whole wedding." Tao sniffs and Sehun really hopes he isn't inside the stall crying because of this.

Thirty seconds later Sehun is back in the main room scanning the aisles for guests, heart thumping because, how exactly does he ask for something like this?! He sees the girls he spotted earlier and is almost relieved he remembers they're betas, so he doesn't have to ask them and embarrass himself. If Minseok was around and not about to... you know... get married, Sehun would run and ask him. Right now though, the only omega Sehun is personally acquainted with is... Sehun pales a little bit... Jongdae.

Jongdae is never going to let him live this down. But if it makes the difference between Tao getting emotional in a bathrooms tall and missing Minseok and Luhan's whole wedding, and Jongdae teasing Sehun til his dying day, he'll do it. 

"Hey," he slides in where fortunately Jongdae sits at the end of the pew.

"Sehun!" Jongdae blesses him with a smile, already quirking his head because he must sense Sehun is acting weirder than normal. He still hasn't forgotten that it was Jongdae who outed him for liking alphas that one time, long ago. It was for the best though, even if he wishes he could have done it himself, on his own time. Jongdae apologized to him personally a few days later, and then proceeded to ask about knots. It was singularly embarrassing, as now probably will be too.

"Hey, Jongdae," he starts from the beginning.

"You said that already. What's up?"

Sehun's throat wobbles. "I have to ask you for a favor, uhm... do you have... a..." 

"Do I have a..." Jongdae fills out the gaps. 

"Well, see. It's Tao. He's... in the bathroom and needs a..."

"Uh huh?" Jongdae leans over conspiratorially. 

"Something?" Sehun hopes he doesn't need to spell it out.

The omega pulls back, however, and chuckles softly. "Sehun, Sehun. If you're asking for someone to help Tao out with a quickie, you're surely talking to the wrong the person here." 

"Nooo." Sehun blushes every shade of red. "I mean.. I mean..."

But finally Jongdae gives him a break. "Okay, I got it! Chill out. I'm assuming he needs some omega products. That or tissues because he was already crying earlier about his best friend getting married... No? Okay then omega products it is." He starts to reach down for the man bag at his feet. "What size?"

"Uhhh."

"Does he want the long green one or the short. Yellow or orange?"

Sehun flusters. 

"I also have tamp-"

"Can I just take the whole bag? Please?" 

Kyungsoo is starting to look over Jongdae's shoulder, and Chanyeol on the other side of him. And at least they're friends, but Sehun is already mortified of other people starting to take notice as well.

Fortunately Jongdae smiles. "Sure. Just don't steal my wallet. Or my romance novel. I may need to read it later if this wedding turns dull." 

 

 

 

 

He lowers Jongdae's bag over the stall door a minute later, Tao's whispered, "Thanks," calming him down, now that he knows he did the right thing. Another minute later, Tao exits and looks a bit shocked to find Sehun still waiting for him against the bathroom sinks. 

"Thanks," he says again, blushing. "I really... didn't plan this well."

His eyes are red, he really has been crying, and Sehun knows him well enough to suspect it's probably a combination of a lot of things. Minseok, Tao's embarrassing predicament, having to ask Sehun for help. Sehun who doesn't involve himself with anything omega related if it's not directly and non-romantically linked to Tao. 

"S'alright," he mumbles, trying to smile encouragingly. Tao doesn't meet his eyes, avoiding the gaze in the mirror, while he washes his hands. Then he shoulders Jongdae's bag, wipes a few more droplets of water on his face which he wipes off with a paper towel, scowling when some of his eye liner comes off. 

"Isn't this Jongdae's?" Tao asks. "I don't suppose he carries around makeup with him, does he? I think I saw something in here earlier..."

Tao opens the flap and starts to dig around. He pulls out a compact just as the bathroom door opens up and a small gaggle of teenage alphas walk into the room, just as Tao startles and accidentally flings both the makeup compact and about half a dozen plastic pads of various colors and sizes. They stream across the floor as the boys stop and gape. Tao's face turns brilliant red and his body freezes, beginning to tremble. 

Sehun is only a beta, but he's got at least five or six years on the alpha boys. They're starting to chuckle and mutter, "What the fuck, man? Are those pads?!" when Sehun steps in between them and Tao. 

"What? Never seen a male omega on a period before? Scram! Find another bathroom!"

 

 

 

 

Tao tells him later that he's never been so mortified in his life, but that Sehun is really hot when he acts like that. 

He wishes,  _he really wishes_ , he could love Tao back like Tao just wants to be loved.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the 'product' placement in chapter, but seriously guys... we're in a genre where we say mpreg is possible but we don't consider the other reality of that?! Can you tell I just like throwing up the social conventions of fic writing?


	14. [2.4] Xiuhan

"You realize..." Luhan wheezes, "there are things we should.. be... ahhhh.... doing right now?"

Minseok moans instead of answering, his mouth completely occupied, not at all obeying his alpha's suggestion that perhaps he should dislodge and stop nibbling on Luhan's collarbones. 

Luhan's shirt is askew, buttons pried open by his own trembling fingers because Minseok absolutely could not wait. He cranes his head, looks at the clock and sighs. Ten minutes. They're supposed to be out there in ten minutes, and instead he's sitting on a chair in the back room with Minseok on his lap and nothing he says, either to himself or Minseok, can convince him truly that this isn't a necessity: making out with his soon-to-be-official mate/husband before their wedding. 

He's pretty sure he locked the door, although he's not 100% on that. 

"Can you... give us a minute or to?" he'd persuaded the officiant and his mother and and all his squabbling sisters, begging them for a bit of privacy because Minseok was looking just a bit upset. He didn't know what that meant, and it frightened him, the omega's concerned face, expression pulled into a taut frown like perhaps he was rethinking this whole thing. Luhan's heart pounded, and his family looked worried on both of their behalf's. 

"Minseok? What's the-" he started to ask. And that's when he was tackled.

Confused, he tried to pull back and actually look at the omega, but Minseok wasn't upset. He was playing sad, playing the sympathy card and everyone believed him because of course no one is going to doubt an omega's nerves. Not on his wedding day, not at their official mating ceremony. 

"Damn, all these people, everybody fussing," Minseok groaned as he climbed on top. "I had to do something to get them to leave. I just... wanted a sec to kiss you, but there are so... many... people... around!"

Luhan's not complaining much. After everything he's done to get Minseok to be his, worrying his family for a very short while while Minseok thrusts his tongue into his mouth is a worthy exchange. 

"You know, back in the day," Luhan sighs breathily, "alphas used to bite their mates in front of everyone." 

Minseok growls and pulls away long enough to say, "Proof of ownership and all that?" before kissing Luhan again. He's got his hands wrapped around the alpha's back, Luhan's similarly curving around Minseok's rounded bottom, holding him up. He's trying so hard not to ground their crotches together. There's no time to do more than kissing and petting, and maybe a bit of suckling. Minseok tries it now on Luhan's neck, right below the collar line. "Did omegas get to do it in reverse?" 

"Mmmm, sometimes, yeah."

Minseok's tongue maps a trail from shoulder to ear, causing Luhan to tremble more. The omega is emitting so many pheromones, although surprisingly of a gentle variety. If he wanted to, he could probably put out a scent that would make Luhan definitely get up and lock the door and come out in no less than two or three hours. As it is, this particular scent smells like love and romance, comfort and easy desire; not pure lust. Luhan appreciates that. He also appreciates how Minseok's body fits against his chest, in between his arms, around his waist, Minseok's heels digging into the back of the chair as he burrows in as close as he can get. He ceases nibbling and buries his nose in Luhan's neck instead, and the alpha holds him tighter. 

"Today's the day,  _mate_." 

This time it's Minseok who shivers, as if the word itself is magic and binding. " _Mate_ ," he echoes into Luhan's ear, whispering softly while he pulls away. 

This time Luhan kisses him before he can go away. With eyes closed he seeks his mate's moist lips, Minseok meeting him halfway like two magnets drawn together.  _You're mine_ , their bodies each seem to say. Minseok drags his knees back around, shins perching on the edges of the chair as he sits up more, lips still attached. Luhan aches to take him now, to be done with the whole ceremony already and retreat into their honeymoon suite and remind Minseok of what it's really like to start a forever with him. 

They don't need a ceremony, don't need to exchange jewelry, don't even need to have someone write it down in a government book. Mating is more primal than that, a discussion between body and scent, of mind and heart. They don't actually need their family and friend's seal of approval, of witnessing their marriage. 

But in spite of that, this is the way Luhan chooses to show his love. How Minseok chooses to accept everything Luhan is. 

Never again will Luhan let only their bodies do the talking. For two years, it was their only dialogue: Minseok in heat, needy, delirious, desperate, half blind with desire and completely shot in mind. It's not enough. It wasn't then, and it wasn't now. As good as Minseok's lips feel now, sliding between Luhan's, teeth clashing, noses pressed together and dressed in the perfume of desire, Minseok is his forever, and not only in a moment of heat. 

Luhan whimpers anew, Minseok pulls apart, eyes closed, lips swollen and gasping for breath. "We should..." 

"Get out there, yeah," Minseok finishes for him. When Luhan opens his eyes it's to be met with the most gorgeous face of all, the sweetest smile, the brightest eyes. 

Someone pounds on the door from the outside. Thankfully they don't open it. 

"And... that's the sound of someone agreeing," Minseok says, laughing as he lowers himself onto the ground, away from Luhan's lap. "Right in time too. Come on, alpha, hold your knot a little while more."

Minseok winks, adjusts his pants and shirt, and Luhan blows a long exhale as he tries not to look at the state he's in. He's going to have to ask for at least five more minutes to get himself under control, praying Minseok didn't pop a button on his tailored shirt. At least he has a suit jacket to cover it up, but his tie is a mess, undone and wrinkled. 

Minseok peeps outside to tell whoever's waiting that they're almost ready to start. Then he closes the door, leans against it, and crosses his arms, waiting. 

"What was that other old tradition?" he asks, musing comically while Luhan redresses himself. "Tying the knot?"

Luhan pauses, almost shudders anew. "Uhhhh..." he says, and Minseok laughs outright.

"I can make pretty bows on it for you. Make my own special present to open and undress. Wouldn't you like that? Luhan?" 

The alpha pushes back another wave of cold sweat that's threatening to take over his body. Minseok laughs now, but Luhan has plans... Later though. Later after the ceremony... which might have to wait yet another five minutes because seriously, he's have some real trouble keeping himself calm. 

 


	15. [4.2] Chanxing

Chanyeol pulls on his collar. His old suit is just a bit snug around the neck. It's a little tight around his arms. At least the length of his pants is still appropriate and he's not showing off his ankles to the world. It's been quite a few years since he wore it to some other relative's wedding, and here he is again, not quite as comfortable, but this time he has a date.

Yixing keeps on disappearing, but not for anything Chanyeol's done. Rather, wherever Kris seems to go with his baby, there goes Yixing, and the next thing Chanyeol sees is his boyfriend sitting in some quiet corner cooing at Fanfan and absolutely refusing to give her back to either of her dads. Chanyeol guesses the only reason Joonmyun hasn't come unglued at another alpha touching his baby daughter is because Kris keeps him at arm's distance. It helps that Yixing is an old friend.

Chanyeol gets a glimpse of him now, and not for the first time, he gulps. Yixing looks good holding a baby. Not just cute or adorable, but good. Like babies belong in his arms or something. Ever since Fanfan was born, Yixing has been fascinated by her, by all babies really. Jongdae keeps making jokes that Yixing is an omega in disguise, but Chanyeol doesn't doubt for a second Yixing's alpha protectiveness. He hesitates only because... Yixing can't have kids; Chanyeol can. Yixing hasn't said anything directly, but it's become clearer and clearer over the past few months that Yixing wants a family. A big one too.

They haven't really talked about forever. Chanyeol and Yixing are dating, they're mates. But there's a big difference in spending time together, in sleeping together, in smelling like each other, than there is to making a real longterm commitment. They're just not there yet, and the longer they put off that conversation, the more Chanyeol worries. Kris and Joonmyun are officially married. Luhan and Minseok are making that step today. Chanyeol and Yixing don't even live together yet. Most couples don't for the first few seasons, but it's easier to define those seasons when there's an omega involved. Heat sex and possible mistaken desires lead couples to tread carefully and considerately, months and sometimes years before they take the final step.

Chanyeol hears the baby start to cry. He looks up, and sure enough, Kris is there within seconds to scoop her back into his arms, his mate's watchful eye upon them both. Yixing laughs and pats her on the head and soon enough he's back at Chanyeol's side.

"Having fun?" Chanyeol grins like he hasn't been doing some serious thinking.

"Of course."

Chanyeol expects him to take a seat beside him. The round tables are bedecked in flowers and ribbons, bows decorating the back of every chair. Most of the tables started out with pale pink candles but most of the guests have snuffed them out either accidentally or on purpose. Joonmyun had been particularly vocal about the safety hazards of light flames around babies, and when Fanfan gurgled something and tugged on the table cloth, knocking over several goblets and a few utensils, Chanyeol understood why.

He pulls back Yixing's seat, pats it cozily and glances up at his boyfriend, smiling. Instead, Yixing smiles back and steps behind his chair. Seconds later, two arms snake around Chanyeol's shoulders and Yixing kisses him right below his ear. Chanyeol squirms and Yixing laughs, but he doesn't let go and his surprise attack turns into a more comfortable back hug as he clings on. Some of Chanyeol's nerves begin to diminish. He may be only a beta, but the scent of an alpha, his alpha, is particularly potent around him. He feels at peace, he feels loved, he feels more important than a tiny one-year old baby.

"You're stressed today. Why?" Yixing whispers.

"Why?" Chanyeol knows why. He's just not sure he wants to spew his reasons right now.

"I'm just... tired. Do you know how wild Minseok was last night at his bachelor party? Two betas went home crying because he got drunk and said their heads were too big."

"And by heads, you mean...?"

Chanyeol gasps. "Their foreheads! Foreheads! Uhm. Yeah, he's pretty wild when drunk."

"Lucky you then. I'm assuming you weren't one of the crying betas?" Yixing laughs and finally relinquishes his neck before sitting down. Chanyeol vehemently denies having been one of the insulted ones. He'd been too busy trying to keep Jongdae from propositioning every waiter in the bar to show him their knots, whether they were alphas or not.

"Well at least you had fun then," Yixing sighs. "Luhan just got mopey and started crying about how beautiful Minseok is. Try listening to that for two hours straight."

They share grimaces of solace and go back to observing the wedding reception, sampling the food and snacks, chatting with the other guests. The grooms already made their rounds visiting a few tables and sharing toasts. Every now and then they keep disappearing from the room, and everyone pretends not to notice how much more distraught Luhan looks in his clothes when they reappear.

Yixing nudges him after a few more minutes. "You still haven't told me what's on your mind."

"Hmm?" 

He's saved from answering by the tinkling of crystal as the grooms get ready for the toast. Joonmyun gives the Best Man speech in a droll, uninspiring fashion, and since there were no bridesmaids, the champagne is poured and the dancing begins. Jongin and Baekhyun make a beeline for the center of the floor. Jongdae is right behind them dragging a protesting Kyungsoo. Chanyeol catches Sehun and Tao talking under their breaths at a nearby table, and of course Kris isn't going anywhere near the crowded floor with Fanfan in his arms.

Yixing smiles in the small family's direction, and then catches Chanyeol staring. He clears his throat, grinning sheepishly.

"Chanyeol..."

"What."

He doesn't mean to sound so grumpy, but he can't help it. Yixing takes his hand from under the table and folds his fingers around it.

"You're jealous."

"Of... what? No, I'm not."

"You're jealous of a baby, Chanyeol... aren't you just adorable."

"I'm... not. Wait, what?"

Yixing coos at him as if he were Fanfan, and it makes his ears enflame. He blushes, furious with himself and his reactions.

"Yixing... stop it..." he begs the alpha, hoping nobody is looking at him right now.

To his credit, Yixing does. He drops his smile and stops making cute noises. Chanyeol thinks this is the end of it, but then he's being dragged out of his chair, Yixing's arm guiding him up around the shoulders and then his waist.

"Where are we... I don't want to dance..." Chanyeol protests.

"Relax. We're not going to dance. We're going to talk somewhere quiet."

Yixing whispers the last word into his ear, the sound reverberating off his skull and it almost makes him weak in the knees.

"Talk... about... what exactly?" Chanyeol's voice wobbles about as scarily as his legs. He gulps and takes one glance at the dining area and the dancers and all the tables and guests as Yixing leads him out of the room and down a quieter hall.

"About us. You and me," Yixing answers seductively. "Our future. What you want. What I want. What our plans are for when we graduate. And after we talk, Chanyeol, do you know what I'm going to do?"

"W-what... are you going to do?"

Yixing halts and Chanyeol falls slack against a dimply lit wall, foreshadowing his boyfriend's very next words.

"I'm going to  _kiss_  you."


	16. [3.3] Chensoo

If anyone has noticed Kyungsoo's grumpy mood, they don't say anything. He and Jongdae walk in side by side, Fanfan's showing gifts under Kyungsoo's arm and Kyungsoo squints at the bright lights and displays of extravagance. Two months ago Joonmyun and Kris purchased a medium sized suburban home. Inside it's clean and tastefully decorated, but bland and borderline impersonal. Kyungsoo supposes it's none of his business, but he much prefers his tiny off campus apartment that he shares now with Jongdae. It's cramped, cluttered, and it reeks of omega, of Jongdae's personal scent, not this floral spray being emitted from a bowl of potpourri in the entryway.

"Smile," says Jongdae, butting an elbow into his ribcage. 

Kyungsoo grumbles under his breath, but he does as Jongdae says.

"Hey, you guys made it. Thank you so much for coming." Joonmyun shakes both their hands and leads them through a short tour of the house.

They aren't the last to arrive, but most of their friends and acquaintances are already here, including quite a few strangers, Kris and Joonmyun's respective family members. It's a packed house, and it makes Kyungsoo even more annoyed. After the day he's had, the week he's had, _the argument_ they had in the car ride over, making polite with people and socializing in general makes Kyungsoo want to growl at the first person who tries to make eye contact. 

Jongdae takes the gift out of Kyungsoo's hands and gives him another warning look. Then he crosses the room to set it on the gift table and a moment later, he's chatting up Baekhyun and Jongin in the kitchen, happily ignoring his own mate's existence. Kyungsoo lets him go. Right now they're both a little tired of each other, and a few minutes of distraction will do Jongdae good. They need time to cool off, to breathe. Of course, knowing this is a necessity doesn't mean Kyungsoo has to be happy about it. Jongdae recharges through being around people; Kyungsoo just wants to go home and maybe take a private bubble bath.

He turns towards the room and locates the drink stand, frowning when he realizes there is no alcohol. He glares the goblets of virgin margaritas, but just as he reaches for one, a child he doesn't recognize snatches it away from him and runs off. With so many children around, it's no wonder there aren't drinks for adults, but it doesn't make Kyungsoo's mood any better.

 _"Look, I'm only saying maybe we should... do some talking? Or make up a plan?"_ Jongdae had said.

Kyungsoo shuffles closer to the table and picks up another goblet. He shudders as it goes down his throat, then is startled by someone bumping up next to him.

"Delicious, right?" says a woman Kyungsoo has never seen. She grimaces, clearly as disgusted by the drink as he is. He nods his head in agreement and valiantly attempts another gulp. She has be to in her late thirties, but she's tiny and petite, a beta like him. "You a friend a Kris, or Joonmyun?" she asks. 

Kyungsoo shrugs. "I guess both. You?" 

"Joonmyun," she answers, glancing across the room where the man stands proudly next to Kris, Fanfan dangled between their arms like a prize trophy. "We're first cousins. I saw you at the wedding, I think?"

"You did?" He doesn't remember her, but that was over a year ago now. 

"Yeah. That's your mate over there, isn't it?"

Kyungsoo looks over at Jongdae, his arms tangling in a back hug around Minseok who's sitting on a stool beside Tao, and neither one of them are paying Jongdae any attention whatsoever. A moment later Jongdae leaves Minseok and goes to hug Tao instead, physically manhandling him away from his other friend. The three omegas dissolve into giggles, a conversation Kyungsoo can't hear over the general din of the room. 

"Yeah. You can tell?"

"Of course," says the woman. "I'm Jang Nara, by the way. My mate's outside in the backyard, and if you see two little twin omega boys with bits of cupcake in their hair, those are mine too. The twins, not the cupcakes."

Kyungsoo doesn't have anything to say except to offer his name. He belatedly tells her Jongdae's name too, shuffling around wondering why he's standing here being forced into smalltalk.

"I'm guessing you've been together a little two years?" 

Kyungsoo sniffs. "You can tell that?"

"Oh, roughly," she says airily. "There's always a trace, if you know what scent to follow. I can tell because there's an invisible connection stringing across the room between you two."

_"What do you mean, plan? Why do we need to do anything right now?"_

_"So we're just going to keep doing what we've always done? We're just going to wing this? Our relationship?"_

_"We're not winging it..."_ Kyungsoo had tried to deny. 

He rolls his eyes, politely turning his face away first, as if something to his left suddenly caught his attention. "So?"

"So, it's a big time in life for couples like you."

Kyungsoo bristles up. Of all the times he has to meet some interfering stranger, tonight is definitely not the night for this. He came here out of loyalty to his friends, to make a show of support for Fanfan's showing celebration. The baby is an omega, and her fathers are now doubly hovering, to no one's surprise. Technically, Kyungsoo came for the food and because Jongdae said he absolutely had to go. 

_"You're already going to disappear for two months on me. At least go see your friends before you go."_

_"I'm not disappearing, I'm just..."_

_"Yes, I know, I know. Your special study abroad project and it just so happens to coincide with my heat."_

Jang Nara reaches across and touches him on the arm, a placating gesture. "Look, Kyungsoo. I'm sorry, I don't mean to come across as strange and overbearing, especially when you don't know me. I'm a mating therapist though, that's why I can pick up on things others can't. I sensed a strange fluctuation between your scents, that's all. Some tension there. If you... if you ever want to talk to someone, I can give you my card."

Kyungsoo stares at her blankly. A mating therapist, she said. He's heard they are trained in scenting, so it's no wonder she picked up on something. He doesn't understand the biology, but mated pairs can not only pick up each other's individual scents across long distances, but to other people they smell like each other. Trained counselors can tell this too, obviously, but they pick up on many other nuances as well. 

_"I didn't plan it that way, Jongdae, I'm sorry, it's just... this opportunity..."_

_"Soo, that's what you said last time too. And I know it's important to you, for a beta to get into that internship program, but Kyungsoo, you can count just as well as me, and this is two heats in a row that you have missed or will be missing. I can't... I can't help but wonder if you're avoiding me."_

_"I'm not!"_

_"Are you sure about that?"_

Kyungsoo shuffles again, staring down at his toes. She can smell it, Jongdae's lack of sexual fulfillment, that subtle odor of dissatisfaction that no doubt lingers between them.

They've lived together for quite a while now, and they have sex pretty often. It's a coincidence though, that Kyungsoo keeps missing those few days of the year when Jongdae is actually fertile. It's a coincidence, he keeps insisting.

"You like him a lot, don't you?" she pries gently, a smile upon her lips.

He smiles too. He can't help it. "Yeah." 

"Well. I suppose you know more than me about what's going on. But I can't leave here without giving you my best professional advice, and that's to not ignore each other."

"Thanks."

She leaves him alone after that, although her card burns a hole in Kyungsoo's back pocket for the rest of the party. He mingles, quietly, and gets pulled into silly games and conversations with his friends. Jongdae ends up back at his side midway through and they spend the rest of the time pretending like they're not unhappy with each other. Only the occasional glance into his mate's eyes reveals the glimmer of Jongdae's hurt feelings. Kyungsoo looks away fast each time, feeling more and more guilty as the evening progresses. 

All their friends look happy. Jongin and Baekhyun are in the same little world as they've always been in since the day they hooked up. Chanyeol and Yixing exude the quiet confidence of a couple to last for years. Luhan finally had enough of other people touching Minseok and has him sitting atop his lap. The omega reclines back with a peaceful aura, Luhan's arms holding him upright. It's the most PG that Kyungsoo has ever seen them.

Of their friends, only Sehun didn't make it. He overhears Tao casually explaining that Sehun has a major exam in a few days and couldn't spare the time to come. Tao's melancholy only stands out all the more against the beaming faces of Joonmyun and Kris surrounded by everyone they know. 

Back in the car on the way home, there is silence. Everything they said before haunts him. His unpacked suitcase still waiting to be filled, the stress of his hopefully impending career, the number of alphas he barely beat out in the selection process, and that's a major achievement. Jongdae was the first one there to congratulate him. But of course there's more to it than that. Everything is complicated, more so than Kyungsoo thought imaginable. 

He's only been with Jongdae through one heat, just the one. And enjoyable though it was, he couldn't help but worry, maybe, just maybe, the contraceptives wouldn't work. What if they had a child too early or too soon?

Had those fears bled over, unspoken, stealthily forming Kyungsoo's opinion that it would be okay to leave Jongdae alone the next time? And the next?

"Kyungsoo?" 

He glances quickly at Jongdae, before putting his eyes back on the road, driving sedately into their neighborhood. "Hm?"

Jongdae sighs. "Kyungsoo, it's okay you know... if you don't want to have anything truly committing, right now, with me."

Kyungsoo doesn't respond, but his lungs tighten cruelly in his chest. Meanwhile, Jongdae continues.

"We're young, I get it. Kids are scary, I know you're worried about _accidents_. But if it's something more, if you don't want us to continue..." His voice trails off, and Kyungsoo's heart beats faster, chest constricting, and it's all he can do to drive normally. He navigates the parked cars on the side of the road, avoids a fallen trash bin and lets another car go first at the next stop sign even though it's his turn to go. "If you want to take a break too, or something more permanent..." Jongdae scoffs suddenly like something is funny. "I mean, it's kind of crazy right. Everyone said I was the one most likely to break up with you. That you liked me for longer, that _you_ pursued me first. That all I cared about were alphas and knots, and why would a beta like you ever be able to catch me or keep my fancy."

Kyungsoo pulls up next to their apartment building and parks the car. He shuts off the engine but makes no move to get out. Nor does Jongdae.

"All that, and here we are... Maybe you liked me too soon. Our period together didn't correspond. Maybe in another six months or so I would be tired of you, like you're already tired of me."

Kyungsoo has heard enough. He drops his hands from the steering wheel to his lap, and says, "I'm not going overseas."

"What?" Jongdae looks sharply over at him. 

"I'm not going overseas. I'm going to stay home. It's not a big deal, and there are plenty of other internships I can apply for. It's not too late to look them up. I don't want to break up with you, I am _not_ already tired of you, so please..." His voice quietens, "please don't say that I do, because it's not true. I would much rather stay home and be with you, and yeah I worry about accidents, because we're not ready but... well, we can just take our chances. I don't mind doing that with you, Jongdae."

He stares at his hands, balled up into fists and holds his breath, not daring to look up. There is silence once again, and his heart rate is seriously rapid. Jongdae stares at his face; he can practically feel the heat from his gaze. 

"I don't mind, taking a chance with you either, Kyungsoo, if that's what you feel about it."

Relief pounds through Kyungsoo's body, sharp and almost painful, but it's relief. He lets out a breath, mind scrambling for something to say. Again though, Jongdae beats him to it.

"But I'm not letting you give up your trip."

"What? But I said-" Kyungsoo gasps. 

"No. Nope. No. You _will_ go. As long as you come home of course. I can live. I have a nice collection of objects that'll substitute in a pinch. Did I mention my favorite one which is-"

"Jongdae, quit it!" Kyungsoo cries, appalled but altogether confused. "Do you really mean that though?"

"Of course. You're a beta entering an alpha's world. I never lied when I said I was proud of you. As long as I know, well... that you love me."

"I do."

"Then go. I'll be here when you get back."

He squeezes Jongdae's hand for a long while, not moving, still in the car in their parking spot. It's sweet and wonderful, and the whole car smells like them, a memory sustained. He wants to take it with him, bottling it forever.

Of course though Jongdae would ruin the moment.

"Can you just though... do me one favor, and stink up our apartment before you go. That way I'll have a remnant left over for my heat? One day left, that's all we've got. Come on, lots of sex to do, and we're wasting time!" 


	17. [1.3] Kaibaek

Jongin scans the modest crowd of grinning, overly polite smiles. Face after face of strangers stare back at him, all except for one little corner up front and left where sits his friends and family, and one particularly genuine expression of glee. Baekhyun's. Jongin shuffles forward in the line, barely paying attention to the names as they're called and one nursing graduate after another steps forward to receive their diploma. Jongin switched his degree plan over a year ago in favor technical school, and this is the route he decided to go. Baekhyun had asked him if he wanted to be a doctor. He pretended to think about it. However, nursing always appealed to him more. 

And now he's done it. Received his degree and next month he'll start an internship at the hospital. 

He doesn't remember the exact moment when he gets handed his diploma. Something flashes in his eyes, the professional photographer taking his picture, and no doubt his parents will purchase the photo in every possible size and frame it on the wall. Maybe Baekhyun will take a wallet size and add it to the ones they took of them together. He grins just thinking about, ignoring the fact that the picture has already been taken and he probably looked really stupid in it.

It's a short walk from there down the steps and around the side of the room. There are only several dozen graduates today from his program. It doesn't take nearly as long as when Baekhyun graduated and the ceremony lasted almost two hours. This one is more intimate.

His dad catches him in a hug first, squashing Jongin against his frame with his head over his shoulder. His mother's proud tears swarm just behind him, and he hugs her next. His parents are both betas, Jongin is the miracle child they tried so hard to have, and when the doctors told them to give up, they refused to call it quits. Now, he's their only son. Every milestone in his life is celebrated like it's the end, or perhaps the beginning of a brand new world. He lets her hold him longer, even though it's embarrassing and Jongin really just wants to see Baekhyun. She sobs into his ear and whispers words of elation, repeating over and over again how she's so happy and now her baby is growing up and starting a new life. 

Jongin laughs. "Relax, mom, it's not like I'm getting married."

"No," she wipes her tears and sighs, pulling back to hold him at arm's length. "No, not yet. You're right." 

Jongin tries and fails not look at Baekhyun, gauging the alpha's expression. They've been together several years now, and he thinks they have a strong relationship. But marriage? Mating for life? Is that the next step? 

He kind of wants it to be. 

From Baekhyun's pinkish cheeks and smiling face, maybe he thinks so too?

He's contemplated asking every married or mated person he knows: who makes the first step? Who makes the claim. Male or female is not their issue here, but does age and orientation matter? Can Jongin, a younger omega actually propose to an older alpha to be _his_ , forever? 

Minseok, of all his friends, and the only person Jongin dared to ask, had been entirely unhelpful. _"Why are you asking me this? Luhan and I barely even talked about it. One day we just woke up like we usually did, had breakfast, took showers, casually discussed our daily schedules and I don't even remember which one of us suddenly joked that right after we picked a vacation date that we should add 'wedding' to that itinerary as well."_

 _"So, it wasn't a big romantic affair?"_ Jongin had replied, shocked.

Minseok grinned. _"What's not romantic about sneaking in a wedding date between potential spouses? It was simple, funny. We giggled a lot. Jongin, not everything has to be all fireworks and angst... Luhan and I, we had that phase already, in the past, and it wasn't too fun. Sometimes simple is just as good, if not better."_

 

 

When Baekhyun hugs him, it feels that simple too. There's a subtle shift in alpha-ness that surrounds Jongin, comforting him, never overpowering him. He basks in it, sinks into it.

 

"You're done, Jongin... I'm so proud," Baekhyun whispers. 

"Am I finally an adult now?" Jongin jokes. Neither of his parents will accept that he is. He's their baby, now and forever, no matter how old or accomplished he becomes. It's a simultaneously embarrassing emotion, but also a comforting one, to know that some things won't ever change. However, with Baekhyun...

"An adult? My Jonginnie? Mmmm, I don't know about that? Does growing up mean you're suddenly too old for me? Who needs an alpha in this world anyway, huh? You have a job!" 

Something in Jongin's gut whines. He lets it escape his lips. "Noo..." he whimpers, denying it while he smiles into the side of Baekhyun's head. It still amuses so many of their friends how his alpha is shorter than him. 

"No, you still need me, huh?" Baekhyun titters softly where only Jongin can hear. If they were anywhere else, Baekhyun would probably drop the PG in his words. He's short, but no less willing to taunt and tease, or to reward the omega with promises of... things. Instead, Baekhyun lets go and returns Jongin to arm's length because in spite of being an alpha, Baekhyun is still deathly afraid of Jongin's beta parents. And Jongin's younger alpha cousin, Taemin, who's been eye-balling Baekhyun seriously since they arrived at the hall. 

Twenty minutes later everyone is still congregating outside on the steps leading down to the street. Jongin has removed his cheesy graduate's cap while he chats and catches up with the rest of his family. A few friends mingle in small circles around them, including Minseok, Luhan, Tao and Sehun, and Jongdae. It seems like every time they meet up for a special occasions, more and more of their original circle of friends disappear. It's the burdens of life that keep people busy, Jongin has to sigh. Joonmyun and Kris are busy with their little family, Chanyeol and Yixing are gone for a few weeks an an extensive family visitation road trip. Kyungsoo is abroad. Jongin misses their friendly faces, but when it comes down it, he's still happy with the few who came. He's still happy with Baekhyun too.

"So are we heading off to that restaurant now?" Luhan asks cheerfully. 

They have reservations in half an hour to celebrate over dinner. Jongin nods. "Yeah. We should go then."

"Who's riding with who?" asks Baekhyun, already flinging his car keys around impatiently. "I need food!"

They leave their family members to drive themselves, the rest of them crowding into two vehicles. Baekhyun holds Jongin's hands across the front seat while he drives and Jongin reclines back happily. Should he... just ask later, when they're alone? 'Hey, Baekhyun, you know how everyone says we act like a perfect lifetime couple? Should we just... officialize that?' Would that be too bold? Should he make it more subtle? He doesn't want to wait. After the things Minseok said, Jongin doesn't think he's so prim that he should wait for the alpha to make the move. 

 _"Your scents decide half it anyways, if you're compatible or not."_ That had been Luhan's advice. _"The other half though... that's up to pure human initiative._ " 

"Hey, Jongin, don't fall asleep on me?" Baekhyun laughs, tapping his forearm while Jongin happily fantasizes. 

"I'm not asleep," he grumbles. 

But between the lull of the car ride and Baekhyun's permeating scent, Baekhyun's hand, and Jongdae chatting cheerfully in the back seat with Taemin, Jongin dozes off, calmed into a state of semi-awakeness. He should probably inform Taemin later on that any flirting Jongdae does is purely for his own amusement, and not because he's interested.

"You can't fall asleep," Baekhyun repeats forcefully a few minutes later.

"Why not?" Jongin chuckles.

"Because..." Baekhyun sneezes. "Uhm... because it's your dinner party!" 

"So? It's my party, I can sleep if I want to?"

Jongdae leans forward and pets Jongin's hair. "So then, I can eat all your cake?"

"There's going to be cake!?" Jongin sits up, much more awake.

"Of course," says Baekhyun. "We uhh, got the restaurant to make a super nice one, just for your graduation!" 

"Oh, well then." This changes things, Jongin thinks. He licks his lips. Then he grins when he catches Baekhyun staring coverly across the seat, watching him.

 

 

There's a whole back room reserved for their party, including three long tables set up to make three sides of a square. Jongin takes the place of honor, moving aside a few flower arrangements and balloons so he can see across the table. It feels more like his tenth birthday party than a graduation celebration. A array of wait staff are standing by to take the guests' drink orders, and the three-tiered chocolate cake already stands at the ready on smaller table off to the side.

"Wow, Jongin," Jongdae whistles haughtily. "Are you sure this isn't a wedding banquet? I swear, a few more party favors and this meal could rival Minseok and Luhan's wedding!"

Minseok smacks Jongdae in the back of the head. Jongin just blushes, then ignores them both. Baekhyun is still holding his hand. The alpha peers around at the set-up like he's never seen such things before, but there's an overly innocent curiosity about his expression that doesn't quite fool Jongin. 

"You didn't plan this right?" he asks.

"What? This gaudy affair?" Baekhyun laughs a little too loud. "I just helped your mom pick out the cake!"

"The cake. Huh."

But does that explain why Jongin's mom is sitting beside her husband with another napkin to her eyes, crying like Jongin's about to move across the country. This whole thing seems a little weird.

Baekhyun does a good job of distracting him though, leading the conversations across the table with their friends. Jongdae talks his head off about everything and anyone, Minseok gets a little tipsy with his wine. Sehun takes particular offense to a balloon that keeps floating next to his head. Tao keeps running off to the bathroom by himself. 

Halfway through the dinner round Jongdae nudges his side and shoves his phone under Jongin's nose. "Kyungsoo texted to say congrats. Here, thank him yourself and tell him I miss him. Maybe then he'll come home soon." 

Jongin shakes his head, but he takes the phone and reads off the short message to himself. 

 _thanks,_ he replies. _It's Jongin. Jongdae misses you. come home soon. that's a direct order I was told to say._

A waiter takes Jongin's empty plate away while he waits for Kyungsoo's reply. 

_lol you omegas always stick together to gang up on guys like me. anyways, tell baekhyun I said he's a lucky man. I'll be home in a few more weeks._

Jongin squints at the message, handing the cell phone back to its owner. 

Congrats? Baekhyun's a lucky guy? Yes, Jongin would agree, but why is everyone acting like this is an engagement party or something?

"Something up?" Baekhyun asks a minute later.

"Huh? No... Hey, when are we having cake?!"

"Cake! You want cake now!" Baekhyun takes the suggestion and runs. "Let's have cake then!"

Instantly the atmosphere changes. It's like a whirlwind takes over beginning with Baekhyun and rippling through most of the room and the people in it. Baekhyun sprints around the table, insisting that _he_ wants to serve Jongin the special slice of cake.

"Is that really necessary?" Jongin tries to stand up, embarrassed. Jongdae holds fast to his wrist and plops him back down. 

"Not now, shh!"

Something burns in the pit of his stomach, an aching wave of anxiety for the unknown. It doesn't go unnoticed that every one of his friends are sitting up expectantly, matching beaming smiles upon their faces, or that his mom is weeping again. So either Baekhyun is about to deliver him super bad news that he's about to die soon, and his friends have been faking it for years, or there's something bigger about to happen here...

His throat goes dry, eyes wide. His hand twitches nervously against the table. Jongdae strokes his wrist gently and pats his hair. 

And then Baekhyun is turning around from the cake table with a plate in his hand, one super large slice of chocolate cake with giant swirls of frosting and a single rose strewn across the cake. Attached is a long green ribbon and with a shiny object threaded within. Jongin's eyes start to water when Baekhyun lays it down before him. 

"I'm not sure which one you want first, but you have two options, Jongin." He holds out a fork with one hand, and indicates the cake in the other. "Cake or flowers...?" 

It's a great temptation. The cake smells like heaven, and Jongin's mouth is salivating. He could so easily grab the fork and dig into the cake and satisfy his cravings. Or...

Jongin glances around, barely registering the faces trained intently on him and Baekhyun. They comprise about half the people that Jongin knows best, and it just goes to show that Jongin was wrong. The simple life? For him and Baekhyun? 

His faces turns bright red and he smiles because, _really, he should have known._

He picks up the flower, tugs gently against the ribbon and liberates the golden ring within. 

"Jongin," says Baekhyun, when the ring rests in the crook of Jongin's palm, "will you marry me?"


	18. [5.4] Taohun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for: reproductive... themes.

"Hey, Tao? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just something I ate I think..."

 

 

"Hey, Tao, I thought you were coming out with us this evening?"

"Sorry, I got... busy."

"You know if you didn't want to see that movie, you could have told us. Jongdae wasn't really committed to that particular movie, we could have seen something else-"

"Nah, that's not it. I just wasn't feeling great and I lost track of time."

"Oh. Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

 

 

"Hey, Tao, call me back okay? Did you lose your phone again or something? Jongin says he saw you walk by the clinic a few days ago. Are you sure you're alright? Look, I'm your best friend. If something's going on, you can tell me... you would, right? ... I miss you..." 

 

 

Sehun lights down his phone and sets it on his bedside dresser, frowning. It's daybreak, Sehun should be getting up. Taecyeon's alarm has already gone off once, and the alpha barely stirred long enough to turn it off. Sehun, however, reached immediately for his phone to check for messages. None had appeared.

He sighs, and the bed shifts heavily under Taec's weight as Sehun's boyfriend rolls over in the bed. 

"Something the matter?" he echoes hoarsely, his hand reaching out for Sehun's bare waist. 

"No." Sehun's voice sticks heavy to his throat.

"Has Tao still not called you back?" Taec doesn't need Sehun to elaborate his fears. He shakes his head and lays back down, willing his eyes to close and not fret, but it's been over a week and apart from one measly text three days ago from Tao saying he was 'alive but busy', Sehun hasn't heard a peep from his friend. 

"I'm sorry," says Taec as he pulls Sehun into a light hold.

Sehun hums, drifting off into the alpha's warm aura, but the sense of foreboding won't leave him. It's unusual for Tao to be so standoffish. Even when they first began having issues with each other, it was Sehun who did most of the avoiding. Tao was always Tao, always his friend, a little moody, easily miffed, but always there for him, always dragging Sehun back into the confines of their usually impenetrable fortress of friendship. Not even Sehun's boyfriends seemed to affect their relationship. Sehun has been with Taecyeon for about four months; Tao had pronounced him acceptable to date and got along with the alpha extremely well. But recently... ever since Jongin's graduation ceremony slash engagement party, something has been off. Perhaps even before then. At first Sehun thought Tao was just in a funk, or stressed. But since then it's continued to the point Sehun that worries it's something physical.

"Maybe I'll go visit him later," he whispers, determined. 

Taec murmurs behind him. "Sounds like a good idea." 

"Yeah, I'll just go see him later."

 

 

 

Later comes sooner than Sehun expects. A strangely sedate phone call from Minseok asking Sehun to come to the hospital, that Tao is ill. Sehun barely gets his his shoes on the right feet, and his jacket is hanging half off his frame. He nearly blows past a stop sign and breaks barely in time to avoid hitting another car which honks angrily.

Minseok's voice had been clipped. Not exactly solemn, not like Tao was at death's door. But he also wouldn't explain it over the phone, promising instead that Tao would be able to do it better, that Tao wanted to see him first. 

He parks in the hospital lot and strides in breathlessly. Minseok has given him directions to the floor and room number. Sehun has to ask a passing employee to tell him which section of the building to go. Several minutes later he's riding the elevator up to the fourth floor of Wing A and comes up short below the LED sign blazing the words "Omega Ward". 

What... is Tao doing in the Omega Ward?

It's the wing commonly known for pregnant omegas, labor and delivery, nursing parents and a host of all other omega-related life situations and complications.

He can't help but think, is Tao pregnant?! He wasn't even dating anyone as far as Sehun knew. How could he have...? His feet begin walking on their own, this time with a purpose. What if Tao is is here because something went wrong? All those times he threw up on seemingly decent food. What if he's here because he had an accident with some other alpha or beta, and that's the reason he's all alone waiting for Sehun to come find him. 

Sehun trips on his feet as he rounds a corner. Minseok is standing at the far end of the hall, and Sehun almost runs when he sees him. Jongin stands beside him in his nurse scrubs. Both look relieved when they see Sehun.

"Is he... in here?" Sehun asks, nervously comparing the room number and patient name. 

"Yes. Go in, he's been waiting for you-"

"What happened though? What's wrong? Is he-?"

"Just, go in. He wants to tell you, okay?" Jongin pats his shoulder and nudges him towards the door.

Sehun crosses the threshold not knowing what to expect. His mind is already a million miles away thinking about Tao as a single father raising a kid all by himself, and how that means Sehun needs to step up extra and be more than just his devoted best friend. Tao is probably scared and worried, and if there's anything gone wrong with it now, that's just more reason than ever for him to have told Sehun ahead of time. How long has he been ill? How long was he sitting by himself? Sehun could have helped. Sehun could have been there for him!

"Tao?" he calls softly. He catches his friend's profile through the modesty curtain and ventures towards it.

"I'm here," says Tao. It nearly takes away Sehun's breath.

Tao looks awful. His face is gaunt, his eyes look hollow. There's an IV attached to his arm, a solution dripping steadily through the tube. Several monitors with his vital signs light up the side of his hospital bed, but he's sitting up and looks otherwise unharmed. All that and he's still smiling wanly up at Sehun when he steps close. 

Sehun reaches for Tao's free hand and curls the omega's fingers between his palms. Tao's other hand rests protectively over his abdomen. 

"Tao... why... why didn't you tell me?"

Tao's eyes flicker in confusion. "Tell you what?"

And for the first time Sehun doubts why he's here. "You... aren't you..." He glances at Tao's stomach. It's flat, but at this stage of course it would still be flat. The omega's hand, however, shivers with unease. Sehun holds his breath, watching it slide away from Tao's body and drop silently onto the side of the bed. Then a wave of pure emotion passes across Sehun's face, and tears well up in the corners of his eyes. He clenches them shut and grimaces. Tear droplets fall softly down the stark lines of his face. 

For a full minute, only the regular beeping of Tao's vital signs stretch across the silence.

"You thought I was pregnant, didn't you?" says Tao finally. He opens his eyes and wipes his tears.

"You... you're not? But you're in the Omega Ward. I thought..."

"You thought I was pregnant and ran to my side. Sehunnie, you're sweet." Tao's smile is ugly, though the emotion itself is genuine. 

He doesn't know how to ask though, if not this... then what? Sehun opens and closes his mouth a few times, completely at a loss, and Tao finally sighs. He pushes to sit up straighter, but his body is weak. Sehun has to help him, and with every wave of pain that flees down the omega's body, he worries more and more.

"I'm not pregnant, but thank you anyway," he tells Sehun. 

"What _is_ wrong then?" 

Tao stares at his belly again and begins softly to cry. It takes him a minute to form the next few sentences. "There's something wrong with my uterus... It's a big word or something, you can probably ask Jongin to define it for you. Endometriosis? Basically I don't really want to think about it right now because... well, apparently it's severe enough that they want to do a total hysterectomy."

Sehun squeezes his hand and tries not to faint. He can't stop the tears that form now in conjuction with his friend's. 

"Sehun... I won't even be able to have children one day.... what... is even the point of being an omega if I can't have children...?" 


	19. [6.3] Krisho

The house is finally silent. The early afternoon rays beats down through the sun windows in the dining room, the light humming of the air conditioner and the kitchen appliances buzz softly in his ears. Every sound stands out, every tap, every thud, every screech of an appliance or a door closing, or the neighbor’s dog next door. Kris tiptoes towards the fridge, slowly peels the door open from the seal and holds his breath as he picks up a water jug, bringing it out to pour.

It’s 2 o’clock and Fanfan has just a few minutes ago fallen asleep for her nap. Kris is exhausted. He wants to pass out himself and take a nap, but any minute his baby girl might wake up and in spite of all those parenting articles saying it’s okay to let babies cry for a little while, he can’t bring himself to do it.

He loves holding her, good days or bad. The way she fits into his arms is precious, and it may be too soon to start thinking about this, but one day she won’t be as tiny, won’t be a little tiny baby. She’ll be a girl, a teenager, an adult, and then he’ll only have these few years of memories of being able to carry and coddle her like this.

The cool water burns against his sore throat. He hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep since before she was born. Almost two years now. In the womb, she kicked and kept him awake. Born, she cries all hours of the day and night. He’s come to truly treasure the moments when she’s asleep, but only so he can watch her, adore her, memorize every tiny feature of her face and expression until Joonmyun has to drag him away to get some sleep himself.

Kris would shower, but the sound of the water in the tub might wake Fanfan up. He finds a book near the couch and he reads that for a few minutes. It’s a quiet activity. But then he grows bored. He picks up a magazine instead, one of the numerous parenting publications that he’s subscribed to multiple times over. Is it too soon to be thinking about college funds? He and Joonmyun should talk about it tonight. What if Fanfan is super smart? What if she wants to go out of state for college, or even overseas. There’s tuition to consider, living expenses, pocket money so she won’t have to worry about working her way through school and letting her grades suffer, like Kris almost did.

What if she meets someone there. If she lives out of state, would it still be possible for Kris to ban her from parties? Can he vet every person she meets? Can he ban her from talking to alphas?

He sighs and forces himself to put the magazine down. All too early to be worrying… much too soon. His husband would only laugh at him and make him settle down, probably by trying to cuddle him onto the couch and kissing his neck like he’s such big strong alpha who can manhandle his beta into submission. When really all it takes is a cute look or a pout or even a frown of concern for Kris to melt into a billion pieces and let himself be loved.

Without him, without his beloved mate, Kris would be so lost. He’d be a single parent, probably struggling to make rent or pay the utilities, with a baby he can barely feed. He’d be a beta all on his own, answering snide questions about where Fanfan’s other father is.

Kris never thinks about him, the man who put Fanfan into his belly. There’s no need. He’s a shadow, a blip in Kris’ past, and the only decent thing he ever did was make Kris aware, in a much roundabout fashion, of how precious having a child can be. Joonmyun is a better dad than that man could ever hope to be.

Sometimes though he wonders. If it hadn’t happened like it did. If Kris had stayed with that man, met him again, confessed about his condition. He didn’t really lie to Joonmyun when he said the baby’s father was a near stranger he would never see again. But he knew people, other people, who could have found him again, or given Kris his number. What would have happened if he did that?

On the other hand, if he hadn’t been pregnant, if Fanfan had never happened, would he still be with Joonmyun now? Would they have gotten married or had a child together without the surprise events of Kris’ life?

Too late to be wondering all that right now. Because he _is_ married, he _is_ a dad. And he _is_ happy. Sleep-deprived maybe, but happy. More content than he could even have imagined just two few years ago when he got dressed up one fateful night and sought false, temporary comfort in a stranger’s arms.

  


Fanfan is awake and gurgling happily in Kris’ arms after her dinner when Joonmyun returns home. Instantly, his pheromones gush through the house. Kris sighs. His baby even sighs though her eyes are closed. That’s how he knows firsthand that Fanfan has accepted her other dad as true.

“My baby.” Joonmyun kisses Fanfan’s hair first, and then quickly pecks Kris on the lips before he’s even dropped off his stuff.

“Good day at work?” Two years ago Kris might have cringed at this kind of domesticity.

“Passable. How are you? Did she nap today? You both look pretty well-rested.”

Joonmyun shuffles past them and starts scrounging around in the kitchen. Kris gets up and follows, hefting Fanfan higher up his shoulder as he pats her back. “Sorry, I didn’t cook today. She was sleeping when I could have gone in there, and I didn’t want to wake her up.”

The alpha chuckles and shakes his head. “That’s fine. I was hungry for cereal anyways, since I missed my breakfast. What did you eat?”

“A sandwich.”

His mate beams at him, then at their baby. In his cutest, gag-worthy voice he leans towards her and coos, “And what did baby Fanfan eat today?” He pecks her nose. She wriggles it and squeals in delight. “Can you say ‘daddy’? Come on, say ‘daddy’ for me.”

Kris waits, letting her form the words she’s started to learn, and Joonmyun practically spins when her tiny lips form his now favorite word.

“We had pea-mush for dinner,” Kris tells him a minute later.

Joonmyun makes a face. “Oh, so that means super pretty diapers tonight?”

“‘fraid so,” Kris laughs.

  


He gets his shower finally, a good twenty minutes of me-time while Joonmyun plays with Fanfan on the floor of the nursery. It’s good to let the water soak into his skin, to massage his scalp with non-baby shampoo, and to let his aching muscles rest under the hot steam of the shower head. He towels his hair when he gets out, then wraps it low on his waist. The mirror isn’t quite so horrifying anymore. His upper body has started to tighten up again, stomach growing tauter from all his morning runs with Fanfan in the stroller, and his pecs have lost their milk weight ever since Fanfan started eating solids. Still, there are scars across his stomach from the C-section that will never go away, but he doesn’t mind, and Joonmyun certainly likes to worship him there.

Maybe tonight, since Fanfan has been good, she will sleep through the night and Kris can relax enough to let himself go… let Joonmyun kiss him all over.

He dresses and picks up his phone, checking for messages as he crosses towards the nursery. A few missed calls, probably from telemarketers, and one from Joonmyun that he never read back when his husband announced he was on the way home. There is, however, one unknown number that Kris doesn’t recognize.

“Kris?” Joonmyun calls down the hall when he hears the phone hit the ground.

_Hey! It’s me, Henry. I changed my number when I lost my phone, and man was it hard tracking down your old number! Give me a call sometime, we should catch up…_

The rest of the message is generic, but it’s the final words that cause Kris to nearly collapse.

_Oh yeah, guess who I ran into the other day? I bet you can’t guess! Or maybe you can, huh? I told him you’d had a baby though. He was pretty shocked. Drinks this weekend? Come on, you know you wanna. For old times’ sake?_

 

 


	20. [4.3] Chanxing

"Chanyeol? I'm home?"

Yixing flicks on the lights of his their apartment and peers inside. Most of the lights are off, with a few exceptions in the kitchen and dining room. His walks through the dark living room, drops his set of key rings on the coffee table in front of the couch, and continues onward. The apartment is silent except for the soft ticking of a clock, a guilty reminder that Yixing is here three hours after he originally said he would. 

The kitchen is spotless. There's no Chanyeol in sight. But that was definitely his car Yixing parked next to in the parking lot. Somewhere, the beta must be here.

He finds him in the dining room, and something tightens painfully in the pit of his stomach. Chanyeol is slumped over on the table with his head cradled between his arms. Hair sticks up in places, an overly mussed look, and even in his sleep, his brows are pulled taut across his face as they draw towards his nose.

Next to him, is the remains of what looked like a spectacular dinner. One place is empty, practically licked clean. Or, no... tossed clean, probably right into the trash can. The other sits where Yixing should have sat, perfectly untouched and stark cold. A fruit fly darts away from the meal when Yixing approaches it, frowning down at his boyfriend who of course had to use this opportunity to be dramatic. It's unlike Chanyeol, actually, to act this way. 

"Chanyeol," he says. 

The beta awakes with a jerk. Sitting up, he quickly wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, then goes to smooth out his hair. Neither gesture looks comfortable. Yixing pulls out a chair on the opposite side of the cold dinner place setting and rests his hands on the table, waiting.

Then very next thing Chanyeol does is look at his watch. He doesn't quite meet Yixing's eyes after that, biting his lower lip instead and staring at the plastic table cloth. 

"You said you'd be home two hours ago." His words are accusatory, even if his voice remains neutral. 

"I said that, yes. But then I sent you a text saying I was delayed again. Didn't you get my message?"

Chanyeol's phone is nowhere to be seen, and by the look on the beta's face, he probably hadn't checked it at all since the first one. 

"I guess not. Where were you?"

The suspicion is growing. It makes Yixing want to sigh and just have this whole night fade away. First his best friend was having a crisis, and now his boyfriend too. The hour is so late, and he just wants to go to bed. Before the other alpha had called him, catching him on the drive home from work, Yixing had anticipated a date night in with Chanyeol, dinner and a movie, and then some. Most of the time now, Chanyeol invites him to stay the night. 

"With Joonmyun, like I told you."

He hadn't told Chanyeol what or why Joonmyun begged him to come over. At the time he first called,Yixing didn't yet know why. By the time he sent the second text, Joonmyun had pleaded with him not to tell. Chanyeol is Yixing's lover, but Joonmyun's woes are not his to share. Even if Yixing could, the subject would a sensitive one anyways. Chanyeol gets so anxious whenever Joonmyun and Kris and their 'perfect' family ever comes up. Yixing's actually stopped bringing them up in everyday conversations. He doesn't invite them around to hang out. He doesn't take Chanyeol when he visits their house. He can't even mention how big and pretty Fanfan is growing because every little word about the baby tends to trigger Chanyeol's emotions. 

If only he knew what Yixing knows now. 

He rests his forehead between his palms, elbows still planted into the table, listening to Chanyeol sigh. 

"And... and, how are they?" 

Yixing can't say 'fine' so he hums instead. 

"Are you really mad at me about the dinner?" he asks instead, lifting his head to look properly remorseful. 

Something about his question makes Chanyeol decompress. His taut face muscles relax, and his grimace slips into a frown as he observes the remains of his trashed plate and Yixing's cold one. 

"I actually put some of it into the fridge so we can warm it up later," Chanyeol admits. He gives Yixing a weak smile, then starts to get up.

"I'll do it. You stay." Yixing beats him to it, quickly standing up and passing behind Chanyeol's chair. He gives the beta a comforting pat on the right shoulder. Then he leans around to the left side and pecks Chanyeol daintily below his left ear. His boyfriend squirms cutely, and Yixing earns the first smile of the night. Smiles on Chanyeol's face are becoming something of a rare occurrence.

One year ago they made the decision not to move in with each other yet, but that they would 'relax' some of their other conventions. Like birth control. One year later, andYixing can properly say he's had more sex in this one year alone than in the five previous years combined. There's a drawer full of his things in Chanyeol's bedroom. Half of the toiletries above the sink are his. He buys a good amount of groceries and stores them in Chanyeol's fridge since they eat together more days than not. Several umbrellas, half a dozen pairs of shoes, and three coats have already claimed Chanyeol's place as home. There's a guest bedroom, empty, with only a few odd pieces of furniture. It's empty, and they don't speak of it directly, butYixing knows Chanyeol has plans for that room. Anytime, sometime, sometime soon preferably, he wants to fill it. 

One year of the best sex inYixing and Chanyeol's life, and still no baby. 

It's too early to be worrying. It's only been a year, one single year, and betas are notoriously finicky about when they conceive.Yixing wants to tell him this, reassure him over and over that there's no rush, they can take their time. But discussions with Chanyeol make him more agitated. 

_"How are things going with you and Chanyeol?"_ Joonmyun had asked him just this evening, after three hours of moping about himself. 

_"He desperately wants a family,"Yixing_  told him, smiling sadly. 

_"Is it... because..."_

_"Because he knows I want a family? Yes."_

Joonmyun had smiled. _"You know... not that I followed this either, but there are... steps. People can actually plan out things. Look at Luhan and Minseok. A year married, still settling into their careers. I know they want kids too but, what's the rush?"_

_"I don't know. It's just affecting him this way. He still doesn't believe a beta's as good as an omega and I don't know any other way to reassure him of that except with what I've been doing."_

_"Marry him then."_

Yixing chuckled.  _"You think I don't want to? I've had the ring for longer than Baekhyun had his."_

Joonmyun's eyebrows, even under the weight of his own stress, had raised. _"And? What are you waiting for?"_

To this thoughYixing had no answer. 

He really doesn't know why... Whatever it is keeping him from popping the question, it haunts him. Is it Chanyeol's morose expressions? Is it their weird undefined situation? A year ago he thought they'd happily come up with a plan temporary enough to sustain them through the end of their college studies and then some. So much has changed since them. But also, some things haven't changed at all. 

"Hey, babe, this food is really good,"Yixing calls from the kitchen when the first plate comes out of the microwave. 

"Is it?" Chanyeol calls back. "Good!" 

Yixing still absolutely adores Chanyeol, and Chanyeol loves him. 

But if he's being totally honest with himself, he has a sneaking suspicion that Chanyeol is trying to prove something to himself. He wants to prove to Yixing that he is really worth keeping around.

AndYixing, although he can barely admit it even in the deepest recesses of his subconscious, knows this. And maybe he too, is waiting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, well, more drama up ahead for this couple. Try not to be too harsh on Yixing right now. Both of them have some issues they need to deal with. Just wait for me, okay?  
> Next chapter will probably be Xiuhan, hoorah! Also, also future drabbles will stick closely to this time frame because so much is going on with everyone, namely Krisho.


	21. [2.5] Xiuhan

Minseok stares at the form in front of him, absolutely glares at it. He’s not all that new in the office, but four months hasn’t been long enough for him to learn everything there is to know about this particular kind of work. It definitely hasn’t been long enough to realize just how much of ass his boss is. And not just him, but the entire system as well.

One page. It’s just one measly page, but the paper feels like a bomb in his hands.

“Uhm… I’m supposed to… what?” he asks incredulously, hoping still for a shred of something that will prove this is a dream, and not actual real life.

His boss smiles at him. Minseok won’t stare directly into his face right now because he really doesn’t like that expression.

“Just a formality, Minseok. It’s nothing crazy.”

“And, you want me to take this home and…”

It’s unbelievable actually. A month from now his department is participating in a two-day mental retreat for the good of improving work relations between employees. It’s a mandatory team-building exercise like Minseok hasn’t experienced since freshmen year at college when he had to attend orientation seminars. And he hates them, that’s point No. 1.

Point No. 2 is the bullshit he’s staring at now.

_Alpha Consent Form (Omega Slip 1)_

Most of the form is innocuous. Name, date, address, personal specifics, then a bulletin of activities and individual locations within the scattered park recreation facility. Reassurances for six different overnight sleeping arrangements for both female and male designations of alpha, beta, omega. There’s a long list stapled to the back of the form with what they’re expected to bring: clothes and snacks, and a particular notice for omegas to bring as many scent-blocking pheromone sprays or other medicinal items: _'to block out or reinforce the environment to be as sterile as we can make it.'_

Minseok would have brought those anyways. There’s nothing quite as awkward as a group of omegas sitting together fretting about whether they reek or if it's just their imaginations. On the other hand, there’s nothing quite as obnoxious as anyone, alpha, beta, or omega, proudly displaying their scent with the attention of being noticed. Minseok can only hope the ‘permission slip’ sent home to the alpha employees requests the same kind of products.

However, there’s something he’s absolutely sure is unique only to _Omega Slip 1_.

“You want me to take this home to my alpha and have him sign it?!” Minseok gasps, his voice no longer able to contain his stunned, barely contained rage.

“It’s a formality, as I said, Minseok.” His boss is getting more and more annoying by the second. “We’ve had issues in the past. Due to various activities the omegas are often working in close range of alphas. Things are heated. People sweat. Sometimes, scents slip up and there have been one or two mated omegas whose alphas have tried to sue us afterwards. This is to assure everyone no lawsuits come out of this that could potentially harm the company-”

“Do you give this out to unmated omegas as well?” Minseok interrupts.

His boss gives him pause, a hesitant stuttering laugh on his lips like he can’t believe Minseok is making a huge deal out of this. Minseok isn't a scent specialist, but he knows how pheromones work, and he knows how scents can 'slip'. Which is to say, they don't _slip_ , they're _exchanged_ , either willingly or forced, through incidental contact or something even more extreme. And once the scent is there, it's particularly hard to shake it off, especially if you weren't aware of it in the first place. Minseok's own long history with Luhan is testimony to this. The science isn't that hard to understand, but the social implications are vital. 

"Do alphas get these forms as well?" 

His boss actually rolls his eyes.

“No…look, as I said, due to the sensitive nature of mated partners, misunderstandings can occur.”

“And they can occur so frequently that it’s necessary to come up with a law-blocking form such as this,” Minseok snaps. Frustration is building within his gut so hard he could probably vomit. His cheeks feel red, even his boss looks mildly concerned although he's trying not to appear so.

“Look, Minseok. Take it home, read it over. Show it to your alpha. Make sure you read the fine print. We wouldn’t do anything to endanger the safety of our omega employees, but you absolutely must understand how things could happen to cause partners to misunderstand-”

Minseok could continue to fight this. It’s clear now that the company’s reservations come first because they care about potential legal repercussions. Second to that (maybe) are or the exposed omegas’ own feelings and rights. But continuing to argue this right now is not in his best interest. It’s making him sick, he’s getting more and more emotional. He does the only thing he can, turns on his heels and walks out of his boss’s office without even saying goodbye.

It takes twenty minutes of his lunch hour to cool down, most of it in the bathroom where he pours cold water across his face in an attempt to slow down his rage. Unbelievable. It’s totally unbelievable. Minseok is four months into his employment, but already he knows his job will be in jeopardy if he continues to be this brash. Part of him though- a good part of him- doesn’t actually care.

  
  
  


Luhan’s face when Minseok shows him the form later is silently thunderous. His lips don’t move, but the furrow in his eyebrows grows more and more defined as he reads the slip and mulls it over in his head. Minseok waits, patiently.

They really don’t need this right now. There’s enough stress going on in both of their lives, even though none of it involves them personally. Minseok has been spending a lot of time with Tao helping him cope with his diagnosis. Luhan has been with Yixing late into the past few evenings, comforting Joonmyun and listening to that alpha's woes. Tomorrow night the formerly perfect little family are meeting the father of Kris’ baby, together, with their friends conveniently close for backup in case anything happens. And here, in the middle of all that, Minseok brings home this stupid piece of paper that he wishes he could just toss into the garbage and never think of again.

After a few minutes, Luhan sets it down and stares crossways across the room, not meeting Minseok’s eyes. He bites his bottom lip and snarls. Finally, he speaks.

“Well, there are three things we can do. First is, I can just sign this piece of bullshit, and that’s that.”

He doesn’t appear to like that answer though, and neither does Minseok.

“Second is I can march in there tomorrow and cause a big stink. Not sure how well that would go over, or if anything even gets changed, but it would sure make me feel better to let out some of my rage.”

Minseok smiles at the thought anyways. Luhan isn’t particularly intimidating, but he does like to pretend he can be.

“What’s the third one?” he prompts.

“Third option?” Luhan grins. “Third option is this: I sit it out, and _you_ cause a stink. I have a feeling, you already have an idea?”

It’s Minseok’s turn to smile. Yes, he has an idea. Half a day later, he finally has an idea better than slapping a paper cut across his boss’s pretty alpha face.

“Hmmm. Maybe.”

“Yeah?” Luhan’s grin grows wider.

“I already called Jongdae. Didn’t tell him what it’s about, but since he just got that job at the Omega Rights Association, I figure they’d know just how we can go about this to cause enough of a scandal.”

Luhan beams at him across the table, pride and love all rolled into one. “That’s my mate.”

Because yes, Minseok is Luhan’s mate. And not his subservient spouse. So what if Minseok’s likely going to be out of a job pretty soon and will have to rely temporarily on Luhan’s palsy income? They’ll make it. They’ll make it just fine.

 


	22. [6.4] Krisho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for... rather unconventional former Kris pairing? :)

There's an unmistakable nervous edge around everyone's faces tonight. Joonmyun turns around in his booth to survey his group of friends, a few of which are here alone, some with their mates. Yixing had arrived first, then Minseok and Luhan together. Even Jongdae is here, despite Joonmyun hearing that Fridays are typically Jongdae's night for skyping with Kyungsoo. Good friends, all of them. Several years ago when they were all still in college, Joonmyun never dreamed they'd still be this close. He almost couldn't believe they were friends at all. 

Tonight though, they're here to prove it. 

Fanfan squirms in the carseat they'd brought into the late night cafe. Beside him, on her other side, sits Kris. They hold hands over the baby's head. Joonmyun can practically hear his mate's heart rate accelerating after each successive moment.

"It's okay, it's going to be okay," he says, more confidence than he's actually feeling.

Usually that's the line Joonmyun uses on his baby girl. Today he's saying it for Kris. And for himself. 

They're going to meet the alpha who sired Kris' baby. The before now unnamed alpha Joonmyun has thought about many times, mainly to give a silent gratitude of thanksgiving that he was no longer around. In one extremely sick way, he's indebted to this man. He's the reason after all that Joonmyun and Kris got together. Accidentally ruining a beta's life by knocking him up, leaving the spark of life that would eventually become Joonmyun's adopted daughter... Fanfan is more than that though. Not merely adopted, but in every way the shared child of two parents who love her very much. 

"Are  _you_  okay?" It's Kris' turn to ask him. 

Joonmyun releases the grip he has on Kris' hand, belatedly realizing he'd turned his mate's hand white from sustained pressure. 

"Huh? Yeah, yes. Fine. I'm fine."

Kris smiles faintly. "It's okay if you're not, you know."

"Not what?"

"Fine, I mean. I'm not fine either..."

Well at least they share something there. Ever since Henry's phone call both Joonmyun and Kris have been in a mild panic. That alpha has found out. He knows he has a kid. He knows now that Kris lied about getting pregnant, or at least that he concealed it for years. And for Kris, it was a mild fling, but Joonmyun knows nothing about this man except what his imagination provides. What if he's furious? What if he demands rights? What if he tries to take Fanfan away? Yes, the law leans toward protecting the rights of the carrying parent, but that doesn't mean Kris would necessarily win a court case for at least partial custody. He might even lose completely if the court rules for criminal content at concealing the birth of an alpha's child. 

In a world where children are sacred, so is the power of an alpha, and Joonmyun is under no illusions that this might not end up well. It all depends on what the alpha wants to be like.

He checks his watch, knee bouncing restlessly beneath the table. Kris stares at his empty coffee mug. He barely notices when a waiter refills it, accidentally spilling a little over the side of the cup. The black liquid seeps onto the napkin underneath while Joonmyun stares at the spreading stain, his brain floundering for something to focus on instead of the upcoming possibly dreadful exchange.

The door to the cafe opens. Six pairs of eyes turn fretfully to see who it is, but it's just a couple of female betas walking in. They're greeted by the establishment hostess and seated at the counter while Joonmyun returns his gaze to the table. Their friends in the neighboring booth do likewise. He hears them whispering under the breaths, Minseok and Luhan chatting about something unrelated, Jongdae offering some solicited advice about a work situation of Minseok's. Yixing remains quiet. He's more alert than the others, and Joonmyun knows it's because he of all their friends has spent the most time with Joonmyun and Kris this week. Ever since the revelation, he's been there with them, a stalwart pillar of emotional support. 

The bell above the door rings again, another guest entering the cafe. 

Kris immediately stiffens. This is it, Joonmyun realizes with a jolt. This must be him. Him, Kris' other alpha. 

Joonmyun shakes his head to get a grip on himself. That's not even a right thing to think. Kris doesn't belong to this man, never really did, never will ever, but still it bristles at Joonmyun's personality that this is a man with a claim not even Joonmyun can bridge. He's Fanfan's father.... again, Joonmyun grits his teeth to rid himself of the thought. 

"Is that...?" he whispers.

Kris nods solemnly. 

Bracing himself, Joonmyun raises his head to get a look at the man. He gulps. A minute ago his natural instinct was to stand and size up this mystery alpha the moment he came in the door. Now, Joonmyun has the distinct desire to hide beneath the table. The man towers over everyone in the cafe, body muscular, grimace well defined. He hasn't seen them yet, but his nose scrunches up as if he's seeking them out.

Kris fidgets, then slips his hand out of Joonmyun's grip. He stands just as the man turns his head and spots them there. Joonmyun can't decide what the alpha might be thinking. His expression is stoic and reserved as he saunters towards them. Joonmyun edges around Fanfan's carrier and stands up too, all too aware of what their impression might be. He's an alpha who stands shorter than his beta mate, and the man in front of them could be considered a giant, nearly as tall as Kris himself.

"Kris," says the alpha quietly in greeting. 

Nervously, Kris swallows, then nods his head in return. "Vin."

The one time temporary pair exchange a wordless glance, then the alpha's eyes roam to Joonmyun—just briefly—before continuing on towards the baby. 

"What's her name?" he asks. 

Kris fidgets some more. "Please, can we... sit down?" He beckons to the booth, and the alpha, Vin, follows their suggestion and sits down. Joonmyun is vaguely aware of their friends trying and failing to not be noticed, but every one of their heads is turned in this direction, and more than one scent is prickled in premature agitation, ready to defend if need be.

Joonmyun cautiously sizes up the alpha's appearance once more. Seated like this he doesn't look quite as threatening, but his face is still mildly severe. He's older than Kris, Joonmyun realizes, by more than just a few years. In his head he'd always imagined some skinny college boy, something similar to Kris himself. The alpha though is in another class entirely. His face is lined and worn, and mature. Yet there's a hesitance about his posture that Joonmyun would not normally attribute to a purely careless alpha.

He's nervous too, Joonmyun belatedly realizes. 

"This..." Kris begins, "is Fanfan. She's my... or... your.... daughter."

"So I've heard," says the alpha. "I have to say, I never expected to meet you again like this. Or, in any way actually." 

"I'm sorry," says Kris. 

Vin neither accepts nor rejects the apology. His eyes are focused on the baby, his expression still giving away no sign of his thoughts. 

"You might have told me years ago," he says. It's the first hint of accusation. Kris appropriately bristles.

"I didn't know you well. By the time I realized... you were already long gone."

"But it was possible to reach me, as we just found out this week. Mutual acquaintances, etcetera." When Kris does not respond, the alpha turns his gaze towards Joonmyun, then back at Kris, then at Fanfan and back at Joonmyun. "You're mated?" It's poised as a question, though the answer is obvious. 

"Yes," Kris answers for them both. 

"For how long?"

"Long enough."

Vin mulls this over for a moment, eyes narrowing as he stares at the baby girl. _His_  baby girl. Unconsciously, Joonmyun feels his body puffing up, sending a wave of alpha pheromones across the table. He imagines he feels them hitting back against a solid wall of _alphaness_. The stranger across the table glares at Joonmyun for one short moment before turning his attention back to Kris.

"Long enough to mistake him as her father," he says briskly. "I want visiting rights." 

Instantly, the hairs on Kris' arm crackle. He sits upright. "What-"

"You owe them to me."

Kris leans angrily towards the table. "I don't owe you anything-" he begins.

Vin holds up a hand. "I won't claim anything more than that. I don't want custody, I won't try to take her away, but regardless of how and when and how long we were together-"

"We were never together," Kris tries to protest.

"-the fact remains," the alpha continues, "that she is my daughter. Had I known, I would never have denied her, and I would have tried to do right by you even if it was just tacit support. She can remain living with you, I won't even object to her living with another  _alpha_  for a parent." Something about the way he says  _alpha_  with such a disparaging tone has Joonmyun sitting up mad. His fists ball up under the table and he bites his lower lip, eyebrows furrowed. Unfortunately, it's not his fight however much he wants to do something about it.

"I just want to see her now and then, and I want her to know who I am, Kris, you _cannot_ refuse me on this."

"I..." Kris opens his mouth to object. A moment later he finds that he can't. "Okay. Fine. But I want this drawn up legally."

For half a second, Vin's eyes open in a rage. "Legally? Is that really necessary?"

"Yes," says Kris without missing a beat, face stern.

The alpha looks ready to object. He frowns and sits back in the booth, finally betraying more than a hint of annoyance. Yet it's tinged with uncertainty and if Joonmyun was just some impartial bystander he might actually pity the man just a little bit. Instead, he's more than relieved when, as the alpha opens his mouth to protest, there are suddenly two other alphas standing over the booth alongside two omegas, one giving out a cheeky grin, the other casually enraged. 

"I'd take the deal," says Yixing with a smile that doesn't betray his steel.

"What?" says the alpha, a little stunned.

"We're friends of these two here, and Fanfan's godparents, so to speak," Luhan adds. "So you can be sure we care about them all." Indicating Jongdae beside him, he says, "And my friend here has a law degree. What do you say we sit down and draft up an agreement. We can take it to a notary tomorrow and then be on our way."

Confronted with an attack like this, Vin has no case except to retreat. "Fine," his voice warbles even as he struggles to maintain face. Joonmyun can't help being pleased with this turn of events. It'll change things, to be sure. It'll mean Fanfan grows up in a world slightly more complicated than either Kris or Joonmyun would have wanted. But it also means she'll be safe. 

They spend the better part of the next half hour discussing terms and agreements, Jongdae brokering most of the exchange. Fanfan wakes up only once in her carrier, and the slight softening of the other alpha's expression does a tiny bit towards softening Joonmyun's heart towards the man who helped conceive her. 

He's sure, however, to not let that go noticed. Fanfan is still his daughter, first and foremost. He preens when her little hand reaches out for something to hold onto and it's to Joonmyun that she leans first. 

Finally, without asking to hold her or touch her—though it's obvious he wants to—the alpha bids them goodnight. Everyone, Minseok most haughtily of all, stares him down as Jongdae escorts him out of the cafe. 

The door closes. The place has mostly emptied since they began. A few waiters stand in the corners yawning and waiting for closing time. Kris is visibly deflated from the meeting, and Joonmyun is worn out from being tense. Yixing, Luhan, Minseok and finally Jongdae all relax and slide into the same booth until they're elbow to elbow and fighting for room. Everyone looks relieved. Only Jongdae looks mildly put out.

"You lied about me having a law degree?" he asks of Luhan. 

The alpha grins and tilts his head. "Intimidation tactic, okay. Hey, and it worked, didn't it?" He laughs.

Jongdae shakes his head in disbelief. Minseok smiles. Yixing snorts in approval. Eventually they glance towards Joonmyun who has to hang his head and say, "Thanks guys. For everything."

Kris takes his hand and squeezes, exhaling a long, deep breath. 

"For you guys," says Jongdae, "anything."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might have noticed, but I have gone through this entire fic and changed up some of the names. I have regretted for almost a year now beginning this au using some of the characters' stage names, such as Lay, Chen, and Suho. I have now re-edited the entire thing to portray their names as Yixing, Jongdae, and Joonmyun, and am now much more satisfied. :)


End file.
